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WOMAN'5 5LCRLT5 

A BOOK FOR A WOMAN'S PRIVATE STUDY 
INTE.NDED FOR THE 

WIFL, DAUGHTLR, MOTHLR 
AND NUR5L 




BY 
ROYAL ALFRED McCLURL, M. D. 



ILLU5TRATLD 



RAINILR PRINTING COMPANY. Inc. 

Printers and Publishers 

1 1 6 Third Avenue 5outh 

5LATTLL, WA5H. 



^ 



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^ 



Copyrighted 1909 

BY 

Royal Alfred McClure, M. D. 



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C: 4 ^ 


'J8240 1 


SEP 


20 


1909 



DEDICATION 

This book is dedicated to my daughter 




Grace Hannah McCIure 

The Author 



AUTHORS RLFLRLD TO 


Gilliam 


Taylor 


Practical Gynecology 


Venereal Diseases 


Williams 


De Lee 


Obstetrics 


Obstetrics 


ASHTON 


Davis 


Practice of Gynecology 


Obstetrics and (iyiicco 


Kelly 


logic Nursing 


Operative Gynecology 
Garrigues 


Benedict 

Golden Rules of Dietetics 


Diseases of Women and 


Dudley 


Obstetrics 


Gynecology 


Raymond 


Sandzen 


Human Physiology 


Natural Laws of Sex- 


MacMillan 


ology 


Chronic Constipation 


Prvor 


Walling 


Pelvic Litlammations 


Sexology 


Nystrom 


Friedenwald 

Diet in Health and 


The Natural Laws of 
Sexual Life 


Disease 


1^)UTLER 


Massey 


Love and Its Affinities 


Conservative Gynecology 


Hart 


and Electro-Therapeutics 


Woman and the Race 


Gray 

Anatomy 
Talmey 

Woman 


Norton 

Genito-l^rinary Diseases 
and Syphilis 



PRLFACL 

I have eiKleavored to make this book plain and prac- 
tical for the daughter, wife, mother anil nurse. As often 
as possible I have dispensed with medical terms: as. in my 
judgment, a plain unilied discourse written in simple lan- 
guage will make the varied themes more clearly under- 
stood by the laity. ^^ly aim has been to Avrite a 
book that will act strictly as a teacher, and instruct 
the reader in that science which is devoted to the regener- 
ative organs. I have tried to express myself on every 
subject so that each one will be of practical benelit. I 
have given sufficient technicpie to meet the recpiirements 
and no more. The limits and nature of the book do not 
allow any lengthy details. All late literature has been 
consulted. 

The book has been divided into thirty chapters, and 
my chief object has been to select topics that will lead to 
a better comprehension of those subjects upon which every 
woman should be thoroughly informed. 

I am indebted to my many friends and colleagues 
who have criticised and made many valuable suggestions, 
thereby assisting me greatly in the preparation of this 
volume. 

The illustrations have been carefully selected from 
our best medical literature in order to inake clear the 



VIII PREFACE 

subjects under consideration, and I wish here to express 
my hearty thanks to the authors and publishers of the 
works so used. 

To the artist, Charles S. Russell, I am under obliga- 
tions for faithful and efficient work in the preparation of 
some of the illustrations. 

ROYAL ALFRED McCLURE, ]\L D. 

813 Second Avenue, 
Seattle, Wash. 



CONTLNT5 



CHAPTER I. 
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE FEMALE PELVIC 

ORGANS. 

The External Genitals : First Group — The Moiis Veneris — The 
Vulva — The Large . Lips — The Small Lips — The Clitoris — The 
Hymen — The Vagina. 

The Internal Genitals : Second Group — The Uterus — The Body — 
The Broad Ligament — The Round Ligaments — The Vesico- 
uterine and Sacro — Uterine Ligaments — The Cervix — The Fal- 
lopian Tubes — The Ovaries. 

CHAPTER II. 
PUBERTY. 

Definition — Change in Appearance-^— General Consideration — Men- 
tal Change — Dangers of Early Maternity — Management — Food — 
Rest — Exercise. 

CHAPTER HI. 

MENSTRUATION. 

Definition — Time — Symptoms — General Symptoms — Local Symp- 
toms — Regularity — Changes — The Uterus — The Tubes and Ova- 
ries — Character of the Flow — Duration — Quantity — Cause — Men- 
strual Life — Care During Menstruation — Kind of Napkins to 
Use — General Remarks. 

CHAPTER IV. 
CONCEPTION. 

Definition — The Ovum — The Spermatozoa — When Conception Oc- 
curs — The Place Where the Ovum and Spermatozoon Meet- 
How the Ovum Gains Access to the Tube — Life of the Ova. 



X TABLE OF CONTENTS 

CHAPTER V. 

TUBAL PREGNAXXY. 

Definition — Cause — Location — Symptoms — Changes that Take Place 
in the Uterus During Tubal Pregnane}' — How Tubal Pregnancy 
Ends — Rupture of the Tube — Death of Child — Tubal Abortion — 
Development of Child to Full Term. 

CHAPTER VT. 

HOW THE CHILD DEVELOPS IX THE UTERUS. 

The Membranes — The Decidua — The Placenta — The Cord — Nutri- 
tion — First Month — Second Month — Third Month — Fourth 
Month — Fifth Month — Sixth :\lonth — Seventh Month — Eighth 
Month— Ninth Month— 1>nth Month— The Duration of Preg- 
nancy — Sex of the Unborn Child. 

CHAPTER VII. 

STERILITY. 

Definition — Normal Sterility — Cause of Sterility in Woman — Cases 
of Congenital Sterility — Acquired Causes of Sterility — General 
Causes — Cause of Sterility in Man — Remarks — Treatment — Op- 
eration for Cure. 

CHAPTER VIIJ. 

ABORTION, MISCARRIAGE, AND PREMATURE BIRTH. 

Definition — Causes — How Abortion Occurs — Symptoms — Threat- 
ened Abortion — Imminent Abortion — Inevitable Abortion — Com- 
plete Abortion — Incomplete Abortion — Dangers of Abortion — 
The Consequence of Abortion. 

CHAPTER IX. 

THE MENOPAUSE OR CHANGE OF LIFE. 

Definition — Time — Early in Life — Late in Life — Changes and Con- 
ditions That Occur — Effect on X^ervous System — Health — Insan- 
ity — General Remarks — Treatment — Diet — Stopping of the Flow. 

CHAPTER X. 
WOMAN AXD HER AILMEXTS. 

The Mother — The Wife — Hereditary and Congenital Influences — Ef- 
fect of Disease — Education — Painful Menstruation — Undeveloped 



TABLE OP CONTENTS XI 

Pelvic Organs — How Infection is Transmitted — Physical De- 
velopment — Womanhood — Motherhood — Social Conditions — 
^Manner of Living — General Vitality — Perfect Physique — Occu- 
pation — Working Class — The Factory and Shop Girl — Displace- 
ment of the Uterus — Civilization — Savage Tribes — The Scale of 
Intelligence — The Reproductive Organs — Care During Menstrua- 
tion — Physical and Mental Rest — The Young Girl — Nature's De- 
mands — Constipation — Poor Circulation — Pelvic Congestion — 
Exercise — Outdoor Life — Gymnasium Work — Exercise and Men- 
struation — Food — Errors in Diet — Wine-drinking and Over- 
feeding — Indigestion — Dress — Improper Clothing — Tight Lacing 
—The Evening Gown^High Heels — Childbirth — Neglected Tears 
— Improper Treatment After Confinement — The Invalid — The 
Knee-chest Position — Surgical Operations. 

CHAPTER XL 
SYPHILIS. 

Definition — How a Woman Becomes Infected — Location and Char- 
acter of the Chancre — Course of the Disease — First Stage — Sec- 
ond Stage — Third Stage — Special Consideration — Syphilis and 
Marriage. 

CHAPTER XIL 

GONORRHOEA. 

Definition — Cause — The Infection — Parts Affected — The Gonococcus 
of Neisser — Acute Form — Danger — Symptoms — Chronic Gonor- 
rhoea — The General Health — Spreading of the Infection — Re- 
marks — Marriage — Blindness in Babies — Epidemic Among Chil- 
dren. 

CHAPTER XIIL 

VENEREAL WARTS. 

Associated With Gonorrhoea and Syphilis — Location — Cause — The 
Discharge — Remarks — Symptoms — Odor — Care of Infected Parts 
— ]\.Iedical and Surgical Treatment. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

LEUCORRHOEA. 

Definition — Character of Discharge — Not a Disease — Cause — Low- 
ers the Vitality — Symptoms — Treatment— Prescription for Sim- 
ple Cases. 



XII TABLE OF CONTENTS 

CHAPTER XV. 

THE VAGINAL DOUCHE. 

Value — Articles Required — Kind of Douches — Hot — Warm — ]\Iedi- 
cated — Cleansing — Uses — Duration — Time — Position of the Pa- 
tient — Distended Vaginal Walls — Collapsed Vaginal Walls — 
Proper Way to Take a Douche — Excessive Discharge — The Cold 
Douche — Inflammation — Infected Douche Tip. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

HOW SURGICAL OPERATIONS AEEECT A WO^IAN WHEN 

THE TUBES AND OVARIES ARE REMOVED. 

Change in the General Appearance — Health — Acute Cases — Remov- 
ing Only One Tube and Ovary — Insanity — N'crvous System — 
Pregnane}' — Arrest of Sexual Development — Sexual Life — Men- 
opause. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

MASTURBATION. 

How the Habit is Acquired — Most Conunon Vnvu} — Imperfect Mas- 
turbation — In Childliood — Symptoms — Resuhs — Management in 
Children — Local Conditions — Nervous System — Advice to ^'onnii 
Girls— A Mother's Duty— Save Our G"irls. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

CONSTIPATION. 

Definition — Causes — The Habits of Women Who Mingle Largely 
in Social Circles — Neglect of Evacuation of the Bowels at the 
Proper Time — Improper Diet — Insufficient Amount of Water — 
Bodily Inactivity — Ill-advised Use of Cathartics — Effects — 



Treatment. 



CHAPTER XIX. 
THE ENEMA. 



Definition — Low and High Enema — Articles Required — Uses — Kind 
of Enemata — Plain — ]\Iedicated — Formula — Hot Enema — Cold — 
Warm — N^utritive — Formula — Fow an Enema Should be Given 
— Position of the Patient — Colonic Flushing — Drop Method. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS XIII 

CHAPTER XX. 

DIET. 

The Method of Cooking and Preparing Food — Vegetables — Cereals — 
Meats — Fruits — General Rules for Preparing Soups — Liquid Diet — 
Soft Diet— Regular Diet. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

INDOOR EXERCISE. 

Muscular Development — Vitality — Pelvic Troubles — Complicated La- 
bors — Too Much Indoor Life — Substitute for Out-of-door 
Sports — Value — Time — Perfect Abdominal Muscles — Breathing 
Capacity — Perfect Form — The Protruding Abdomen — Rules — 
Special Directions — Exercises. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

HOT APPLICATIONS. 

Effect of Heat — The Hot Water Bottle — General Consideration — 
Use — Method of Application — Articles Required — Technique — 
The Plot Blanket Pack — Moist Heat — Turpentine Stoops — The 
Electrotherm — Dry Heat — Burns — In Diseases of Women. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

COLD APPLICATIONS. 

The Effect of Ice — The Ice Cap — Use in Fevers — The Cold Sponge — 
Cold Shower — How iVpplied to Obtain the Best Results — Cold 
Foot Bath — Cold Compress — Cold Pack. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

BATHS. 

Value — The Time to Bathe — Method — Position of Patient — Dura- 
tion — Temperature of Water — Proper Exercise — The Bathroom 
— Technique — How to Obtain the Best Results — Rest — Kind of 
Baths— Full Bath— Half Bath— Sponge Bath— Spray Bath— Sitz 
Bath— Turkish Bath— Sheet Bath. 

CHAPTER XXV. 
WATER DRINKING. 

The Importance of Water in the Treatment of Disease — Tempera- 
ture — Time — Effects of Heat and Cold on the Internal Organs — 



XIV TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Flushes the System — Quality — Mineral Salts — The Filter — Dis- 
tilled Water — Quantity. 

CHAPTER XXVL 

THE WOULD-BE DOCTOR. 

The Real Physician — Kind of Doctors — The Illiterate Practitioner — 
Frankness and Honesty — Advancement of Medical Science — 
Shaken Confidence — Midwives — Friend of the Family. 

CHAPTER XXVH. 

WHEN TO CONSULT AND PAY A PHYSICIAN. 

Sickness — Neglect — Results — A Valuable Lesson — The Hospital Case 
— Cash and Credit — Discuss Money Matters — The Doctor a Poor 
Business Man — Confinement Cases — Choice of a Physician — The 
Cheap Doctor — Changing Doctors. 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 
PATENT MEDICINE. 

Woman's Worst Enemy — Action Upon the Pelvic Organs — Effect 
Upon General Health — Effect Upon the Mind — 1>mporary In- 
sanity — Action of the Government — Methods of Manufacture — 
Money Spent. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 
MARRIAGE. 

Community of Interests — Ruling Impulse — Establishment of a Home 
— The Normal State — Awakening to Dominant Instinct — Pur- 
suit of Self-support — The Ideal Life — True Love — God's Best 
Gift to Man — A False and Hasty Marriage — The Home Circle 
in Place of Society — A Perfect Union — Advice to Parents — Fit- 
ness for Marriage — Occupation and Labor — Perfect Physique — 
Marriage and Disease. 

Sexual Life of Both Sexes : Natural Passion — Noble Ideas — 
Moral Sentiment — The Narrow Minded — Nature's Laws — Truth 
and Humanity — Disease, Unhappiness and Suffering — Ignorance 
— Knowledge — Physiological Gratification — Suppression in Wo- 
men — Human Needs — Life and Love — A Beautiful Picture — 



TABLE OF CONTENTS XV 

Greatness and Truth — Moral Character — False Teachings of the 
Church — Christianity and Society — Education for Husband and 
Wife— The Real Sexual Life. 

Physiology and Effect : Development of the vSexual Organs — Se- 
cretion of the Spermatozoa — Will Power — Character — Intellec- 
tual Powers — Vitality — Cause of Sexual Desire — Self Control — 
Xerve Vibration — Involuntary Emissions of Semen — Cold Na- 
tures — Indifferent Mothers — Lack of Sexual Desire — Age — Fre- 
quency of Intercourse — Impotency — Abnormal Sexual Appetite — 
Lack of Gratification After Marriage — Incomplete Intercourse — 
Pelvic Congestion — Tender and Sympathetic Attitude — Perfect 
Sexual Life — Abstinence — Results — Law of Kindness, Devotion 
and Love. 

Morality : A Criticism — Heart-to-Heart Talk — In ]\Iarried Life — 
Educate the Young — Moral Life a Pleasure — The Standard by 
Which to Judge Morals— The Human Brain — A ]\Ioral Obliga- 
tion — Sexual Morality — floral Progress — The Jewel of Chas- 
tity — Purity of the Woman — Adultery on the Part of the Hus- 
band — The Individual Law — W^oman's Aid — Feminine Modesty 
— Inheritance — The Ruined Young Life — How to Prevent Pros- 
titution — Causes of the Present Immorality — Chastity Will- Soon 
be the Ideal for Men and Women. 

CHAPTER XXX. 
THE IDEAL WIFE. 

Fitness for Marriage — A Mother's Dut}' — The Ideal — The Hand- 
some Wife — Housekeeping — A Cheerful Disposition — Tact — A 
Study of the Husband's Business — Economy — Jealousy — Per- 
sonal Appearance — Dress — The Accomplished Wife — The Hus- 
band's Sweetheart and Lover. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 
CHOOSIXG A COMPANION. 

Responsibility — A Man's Financial Condition — Social Positions — 
Wild Oats — "Wine, Cards and Women" — Reforming a Man — 
Think Today, Not Tomorrow — True Love — Flattery — The P.eal 
Man. 

CHAPTER XXXH. 

HUSBAND AND WIFE. 

A Husband's Duty — Home Life — A Wife's Work — The Happy Union 
— Love and Religion — A Home Without Children — A Pal and 
Comrade — Whv Men Prefer the Club to Home — Contentment. 



XVI TABLE OF CONTENTS 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

LOVER AND SWEETHEART. 

A Gentleman's Attention — Relation Toward Each Other — Courtship 
— Love at First Sight — A Friend, Sweetheart and Wife — The 
Engagement. 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

HOW TO BE BEAUTIFUL. 

Beauty and Health — Worry — Discontent — Exercise — Fresh Air — 
Care of the Face — Improper Diet — Internal Disorders — Unclean- 
liness — Lack of Sleep — Exposure to Heat or Cold — Care of the 
Hair — Constant Brushing — Lotions — Baldness — Massage — The 
Shampoo — Hair Dye — Care of the Hands — A Thing of Beauty 
— The Cuticle — The Nails. 

CHAPTER XXXV. 

GOLDEN RULES. 

A Few Gems of Thought Copied from Various Authors. 
'The highest culture is to speak no evil." 




INTRODUCTION 

^'As upon the stainless skies 

Peaceful hangs the neiv horn snn; 
So upon thy bosom lies. 

Mother pure thy holy one. 
Ah^ hoiv lovely that repose 

Mother ivith the infant fair — 
Twined, as with the tender rose. 

Modesty, grace and siveetness are.'' 

To the Mother : 

This volume has a definite purpose — to instruct you 
upon matters of vital importance that you may in turn 
instruct your daughter. If, perchance, you are timid about 
such things, as so many are, then let her study well its 
contents. You sacrifice much to educate her in music, art, 
and science. You give little thought to that knowledge 
which is of far greater moment to her. You keep her 
ignorant of self — that she may learn, oft-times, by sad 
experience. It is in your hands to save her remorse and 
suffering. Teach her, I beg you, how to protect her virtue 
and her health. 

My dear mother, when your child comes to you for 
the first time asking you for a sacred truth concerning 
the mysteries of life, do not evade her questions. What 
do you say to your daughter? What do you hope for 



XVIII INTRODUCTION 

her future? What can you hope if you give her answers 
like these^ "Never mind, you will learn it all some day." 
"Foolish child, you must not talk about such things until 
after you are married," "Why do you ask such questions? 
How disgraceful! Never niention it again," "That's 
nothing; you will learn it soon enough." Are you one 
of those mothers who says to her medical adviser, "Oh, 
there are certain things I cannot tell my daughter. I 
prefer to let her find out such things the best way she 
can"f What a pity! How I shudder at such a I'emai'k, 
for I know too well what it means to that child. 

Mother, do not let your young daughtei* obtain in- 
formation upon this topic from older associates or strang- 
ers. Your duty as a ('hristian demands that you put 
forth your best efforts to train your cliiklren wis(4y and 
well. It is necessary that they have a knowledge of 
self and sex, and I want you to impart that knowledge 
with entire frankness. Will you allow your daughter 
to go into the world, her mind dazed with a wondering 
curiosity which must in some way be satisfied? She 
may make a mistake which nuiy bring unhappiness, per- 
haps disgrace, upon you. Would you turn your child 
out and censure her severely because you have not been 
a real mother? I beg of you not to wait until she has 
reached the age of twenty before you talk to her. It 
is her right to know herself and it is your duty to inform 



INTRODUCTION XIX 

her while she is yonng, tender and easy to teach and 
guide. Take time to enjoy your daughter's girlhood. 
Be her chum. Have her confidence and do not let her 
tell her secrets to her sympathetic friends instead of 
coming to you. 

You may think I am wrong when I insist that 
mothers should be explicit with their daughters upon 
the mysteries of life. You are not called upon to wit- 
ness, as are men of the medical profession, the untold 
suffering which is the frequent and appalling result of 
false modesty and ignorance. It is true that a feeling of 
responsibility comes over me when I endeavor to place 
before you in simple language these chapters which deal 
with the relations that exist between human beings and 
the laws that govern all mankind. The importance of 
and demand for a work of this character cannot be 
questioned. It has been my aim to select subjects which, 
studied coUectivelv, will give the product of knowledge 
gleaned from the fields of our best medical authorities. 
I trust nothing has been omitted which will give a clear 
understanding of ''Woman's Secrets" to the mother, 
daughter, wife, and nurse. 

In the name of true womanhood I beseech you to 
study this matter earnestly. Regard this volume as a 
reproach, not upon you, but rather upon the false system 
of educating girls as to self, life, and sex. I cannot find 



XX INTRODUCTION 

words to express the great necessity for the enlighten- 
ment of our young women. Years of experience as a 
physician tell me how much needed is a change from 
silence and ignorance to plain-speaking and. knowledge. 
Find the faith and courage to impart, as only a mother 
can, that knowledge to your child. When she goes from 
you to her husband let her take with her a gift of im- 
measurable value, a book w^hose chapter on ''Marriage'' 
may save the happiness of her and hers. ]\Iake of your 
child a woman who knows her rights and duties as a wife 
and mother. If you succeed you will have laid the founda- 
tion of a happy home, and future generations will call 
you blessed. 




CHAPTER I. 

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE FEMALE 
PELVIC ORGANS. 

A knowledge of the location and physiology of the 
female pelvic organs is an essential foundation to a 
further knowledge of life and sex. We haA^e striven to 
eliminate, in this discussion, many tiresome details re- 
lating to the anatomy of thje parts, and have used cuts 
to give a clearer comprehension of the reading matter. 
A careful study of each illustration will be of immense 
value to the woman who desires an easy method of obtain- 
ing necessary information. 

We have for consideration the external and internal 
genitals. 

The external genitals are the organs of copulation, 
while the internal are the reproductive organs. The 
Mons Veneris, Yulva, and Vagina form the first group; 
the Uterus (womb), Fallopian tubes and Ovaries form 
the second. 

THE EXTERNAL GENITALS. 
First Group. 

MONS VENERIS. 

The Mons Veneris is the only part of the genitals 
which can be seen when a woman stands erect. It is 



2 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

located at the lowest part of the abdomen, and is covered 

with coarse hair. On men the hair extends np on the 




P'ig-. 1 — 1, Mons veneris. 2, Large Hps. 3, Sman Hps. 4, Opening in^o 
the vag-ina. 5. Prepuce (covering- of cHtoris). 6. CHtoris. 7. 
Meatus (opening into bladder). 8, The hymen. 9, The point 
of union of the large lips. This is where the tear occurs dur- 
ing childbirth. 

abdomen; on women it is confined to a straight or curved 
line at the npper border of mons veneris. See Fig. 1-1. 

The growth of hair begins at puberty, and it is usually 
curly and darker than that of the head. 

VULVA. 

The Vulva forms and surrounds the entrance to the 



THE VULVA 3 

genilal canal. It is composed of several parts (See Fig. 1). 
Those for special consideration are the large and small 
lips, the clitoris, and the hymen. 

The Large Lips (labia majora). Fig. 1-2, are promi- 
nent ridges located on each side of the opening, 
practically a continuation of the mons veneris. The 
outer surface is darker than the rest of the skin and 
is covered with hair which is a continuation of that on 
the mons veneris. The inner surface is of a rose color 
and has a sparse down scattered over it. The lips unite 
in the center just above the clitoris. Fig. 1-6, where 
they are thick, but as they pass along the sides of the 
opening towards the back they become ver}^ thin and are 
frequently torn at childbirth. Fig. 1-9. 

The Small Lips (labia minora), Fig. 1-3, are two 
small folds of skin which lie just inside the large 
lips. In front they divide into two layers, an upper and 
lower: the upper forms the prepuce. Fig. 1-5, a covering 
for the clitoris, but is not attached to it. The lower 
layer passes under the clitoris and is fastened to its 
under surface. In some women the small lips extend 
as far back as the large lips, and in this way form a 
ring inside the large lips: in other cases they extend 
back only half way. The small lips have no hair on their 
surface, nor are they composed of fat like the large lips. 

The Clitoris, Fig. 1-6, corresponds to the penis in 



4 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

the man, but differs very much in structure. It is about 
an inch long and extends backwards, is divided into two 
parts near its center, and each part is attached to the 
bone which is located just under the mons veneris. Only 
a very small part can be seen as it is covered by the 
small lips, and in many women this covering must be 
pulled back before it is at all visible. It is very rich in 
nerve supply of a peculiar sensitive kind, and, therefore, 
the clitoris is the chief seat of sexual excitement in 
women, and is often the object of masturbation. 

The Hjnuen, Pig. 1-8, is a fold of tissue that more 
or less completely closes the opening into the vagina. 




i 



ii'jt 



m 



I 

i 



(Gar- 



Fig-. 2 — Showing- the common form of hymen, a simple linear, 
rigues Diseases of Women.) 

Fig. 3 — Showing the hymen in the form of a ring. (Garrigues Dis- 
eases of Women.) 

It presents marked differences in shape and consistence. 
The most common forms are shown in Pigs. 2 and 3. 



THE HYMEN 



As a rule it ruptures very easily at the first successful 
connection, into two or three flaps, as illustrated in Fig\ 6. 
Considerable resistance is felt and pain is produced by 
the examining finger in a case where the hymen is not 
ruptured. In some cases it may be so dense that copula- 
tion cannot take place until after a surgical operation: 
especially is this true in the imperforated form, Fig. 5. 
The jnembrane may be destroyed in early childhood by 
masturbation, for the sake of cleanliness, or by a care- 
less examination. Connection mav occur several times 





Fig-. 4 — Showing hymen with the edges of the ring indented. (Ashton 

Practice of Gynecology.) 
Fig. 5 — Showing imperforated form of hymen. (Ashton Practice of 

Gj^necology.) 

without injuring the hymen. Occasionaly it remains 
intact during childbirth. Fig. 4. 



6 



WOMAN ^S SECRETS 



VAGINA. 

The Vagina, Pigs. 7 and 15, is a tube-like canal which 
extends from the vulva to the uterus. It is located he- 




Fig-. 6 — Normal injury during sexual intercourse. (WiHiams' Ob- 
stetrics.) 

tween the bladder and rectum. The upper part near 
tlie uterus is easily dilated by air or water into the shape 
of a funnel, as illustrated in Chapter XV. Its normal 
form is that of the letter H. The front and back walls 
come together in the center, and the side wall is folded 
against itself, as illustrated in Pig. 8. 

The size and length of the vagina vary in different 
women and under different conditions. In the virgin 
the front wall is about two inches long, while the back 
wall is about two and one-half inches. Sexual inter- 



THE VAGINA 



course and childbirth greatly increase these dimensions. 

The upper part of the vagina is completely closed; 

the walls are attached to the uterus, and the cervix (the 

neck of the uterus), projects into the pocket thus formed. 




Fig- .7 — Scheme to show the vagina and other pelvic org-ans. a, 
pelvic bone just under the mons veneris, b, Bladder, c, Small 
intestines, d, Large intestines, e, Rectum, f, The muscles be- 
tween vagina and rectiim. g, Vulva. h, Vagina. i. Uterus. 
(Garrigues Diseases of Women.) 

The vagina has three important functions: 

1. It serves as an outlet for the menstrual flow 
and other discharges from the uterus. 

2. It is the female organ of copulation. 

3. It forms part of the birth-canal and helps move 
the child forward during labor. 



8 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

The normal secretions of the vagina prevent infec- 
tion by destroying some forms of bacteria that in various 
ways find entrance into the vagina. The walls of the 
vagina are kept moist by a small amount of secretion 
from the uterus. On each side of the opening of the 




Fig. 8 — Showing- cross section of the vagina. va, Vagina. ur, 
Urethra, r, Rectum, f, Muscle around the vagina and rectum. 
(Garrigues Diseases of Women.) 

vagina near its juncture with the hymen, is located the 
so-called Vulvo-vaginal Gland, Pig. 9. A duct leading 
from the gland opens into the vagina just in front of 
the hymen. It secretes a fluid that keeps the vulva moist 
and acts as a lubricant during sexual excitement. If 
the opening to the gland becomes closed on account of 



THE VAGINA 9 

any inflammation, or if any infection like gonorrhoea 
gets into the gland, an abscess is formed, Fig. 10. A 
bruise will cause the same condition. These labia ab- 




Fig". 9 — The vulvo- vaginal gland. A. A. A., The large and small 
lips cut through and separated. G. Muscle retracted to show 
gland. B. D., Gland. C, Duct leading- from gland to vagina. 
C, Opening. E, Muscle that is under the gland and around the 
vag-ina. (Garrigues Diseases of ^^omen.) 

scesses are very common and cause severe pain during 
their formation. After the gland is once infected it 
should be removed by surgical operation, as simply 
lancing the abscess after once formed rarely results in 
a permanent cure. 

THE INTERNAL GENITALS. 
Second Group. 

THE UTERUS. 

The Uterus, Fig. 11. is a muscular structure located 
in the lower part of the pelvis between the bladder and 



10 



WOMAN ^S SECRETS 



the rectum; it is beloAv the abdominal cavity and above 
the vagina. It resembles a flattened pear in shape: the. 
small end points downward into the vagina; the larger 



' ^. ' ■Mhm'ihf If^iiii^iii^^ 


4 


^^HmMP^^^^^H^^t ' ** ^^m 


1 


^R^B^%, i 


1 




1 




t 


i^I^^^^^Hk' "^ 


I 


V ^^^^^^^^Kv^ 


J 






.. f 




^^mt> 





Fig- .10 — A vulvo- vaginal abscess of the giand ready for operation. 
(GiUiam Text Book of Practical Gj^necology, F. A. Davis Co., 
Copyright.) 



THE UTERUS 



11 



flat portion extends upwards into the pelvis. It consists 
of a body and cervix. 

The Body of the uterus contains a cavity, Fig. 11-3, 
which serves as a receptacle for the product of conception. 
The muscles of the uterus contract during labor and expel 
the child through the vagina. At the upper aud outer 
angle of the body the Fallopian tubes form a communica- 
tion between the uterine and abdominal cavities. Fig. 11-7. 




Fij^. 11 — 1, Body of the uterus, sometimes caUed fundus. 2, Cervix, 
3, Cavity of uterus. 4. Caual in cervix. 5, External opening. 
6, Internal opening-. 7, Opening into tlie tube. 8, Fallopian 
tube. 9, Ovary. 10, Showing the part of the cervix that ex- 
tends into the vagina (front view), 

The uterus is also the organ of menstruation. It is much 
larger in some women than in others, especially if a 
woman has had children. In a virgin the average depth 
of the cavity, including the canal in the cervix, is about 



12 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



two inches. Sexual intercourse and childbirth increase 
its depth until it measures from tAvo and three-fourths 
to three inches. It is broadest on a level with the Fal- 
lopian tubes and varies in measurement from one and 
one-fourth to two inches. The average thickness is one 



■^Mjj 


^; -X . 


■ \ ' >i^^^P«.^^]^ 




V^^ 


ly 


i^ 


fc" 



Fig-. 12 — Normal position of the uterus, 
cology — Copyright F. A. Davis Co.) 



(Gilliam Practical Gyne- 



inch. "When the uterus is in its normal position the body 
is bent forAvard resting on the bladder and the cervix 
points toward the spine. Fig. 12. The uterus is not 
fixed in its position : a full bladder Avill push it back ; a 
full rectum will crowd it forward, but when these are 
empty it goes back to its normal place. When a patient 



THE UTERUS 



13 



lies down ou the hack the uterus falls back more or less 
tOAvarcl the rectum. There are four sub-dividecl ligaments, 




Fig. 13 — Showing the ligaments of the uterus and how they are 
attached to the bones of the pelvis. (Garrigues Diseases of 
Women.) 

the broad, round, utero- vesical, utero-sacral, that extend 
from the uterus to the pelvic bones. Figs. 13 and 14. 

The Broad Ligaments, Figs. 13 and 11, are two wide 
folds of tissue, fan-like in appearance, situated between 
the sides of the uterus and the pelvic wall. The inner 
edge is attached to the sides of the uterus ; the outer and 

2— 



14 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



lower border, to the bones on the inside of the pelvis. 
The Fallopian tube is attached to the upper border near 
the uterus ; the outer part of the upper border being free, 
Fig. 19-6. The broad ligaments divide the pelvic cavity 
into a front and back part, the bladder being in the an- 




Fig. 14 — Sliowing- the pelvic organs and their relation to each other 
(front). This illustrates the round and broad ligaments. The 
bladder is distended, and the ovaries are drawn up into view. 

terior part. Fig. 14, and the rectum in the posterior part, 
Fig. 13. 

The Round Ligaments are fastened to the uterus just 
below the Fallopian tube. They lie between the folds of 
the broad ligament and pass upward and outward to a 
ring called the inguinal canal (this is the point where 
rupture often occurs). They pass through the opening 



THE UTERUS 



15 



and are finally lost in the large lip of the vulva, as shown 
in Figs. 13 and 14. 

The Utero-Vesical Ligaments are two small folds of 
tissue that pass from the bladder to the uterus. They 
are attached to the uterus on a level with the internal 
opening, Fig. 13. 




Fig. 15 — A, C, Shows hovv* the vaginal wall is attached to the cervix. 
B, Is that part of the cervix that extends into the vagina, (side 



view). 



The Utero-Sacral ligaments are large folds of tissue 
attached to the back part of the uterus on a level with the 
internal opening, and from there they extend to the back 



16 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

part of the pelvis, where they are attached to the bones. 
They form with the upper vaginal wall an elastic band on 
which the uterus is suspended. These ligaments keep the 
uterus from coming down to and beyond the vaginal 
outlet, Pig. 13. 

The Cervix (often called the neck of the womb, Pig. 
11-2), is the small part of the uterus Avhich extends from 
the external to the internal opening, Pig. 11-5-6. It has 




Fig-. 16 — Showing normal cervix. (Williams' Obstetrics.) 

a canal in its center, Pig. 11-4. The vagina is attached 
to the cervix on all sides at about its center, that is half 
way between the external and internal openings. The 
lower half extends into the vagina. Pig. 11-10 and Pig.^, 
15-B, and feels like the small end of a pear with the stem' 
removed. The normal cervix is hard, round and smooth, 
Pig. 16. The frequent tearing of the cervix at childbirth, 
Pig. 17, causes a great deal of reflex nervous trouble 
and should be repaired by a surgical operation, Pig. 18. 
The tears may occur in any direction, but are generally 



THE UTERUS 



17 



on the left side. Both sides may be torn and in that 
case the tear is more severe on the left side. "Women 
are very careless abont a laceration of the cervix, as no 
symptoms are apparent at the time it takes place. All 





Fig. 17 — Showing- cervix torn at childbirth. The uterus is puHed 
down to Vciginal outlet to show cervix. (Ashton's Practice of 
Gynecology.) 

Fig. 18 — Showing how the cervix looks after operation. (Ashton's 
practice of Gynecology.) 

the evil effects come on very gradually; the health of the 
patient becomes impaired. A full explanation of this 
condition is given in Chapter X, ^^AVoman and Her Ail- 
ments.'' 

THE FALLOPIAN TUBES. 

The Fallopian Tubes are long, round tubes extending 



18 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



from the corner of the uterus, along the upper border 
of the- broad ligament to the ovaries, Fig. 19. They are 
hard next to the uterus, and about the size of an ordinary 
slate pencil: the outer half of the tube is larger, about 
the size of a lead pencil. The opening near the ovary 
is of a funnel shape and is very uneven, has numerous 
little frills extending in every direction, Fig. 19-3 and 
Fig. 20. The tubes are from three to four inches long, 
and are more or less curved. The canal in the center is 




^ ^7 

Fig". 19 — Showing- back view of the left tube and ovary. 1, Uterus. 
2, Fallopian tube. 3, Outer opening- of tube near ovary. 5, 
Ovary. 6, Broad ligament. 7, Ovarian ligament. (Garrigues 
Diseases of Women.) 



very small and uneven, as the lining membrane is ar- 
ranged in folds. Fig. 21. The tubes, at the monthly 
period, have a movement similar to that of the intestines 



FALLOPIAN TUBES 



19 



and this assists in carrying the ova to the nterns. During 
this activity the lining membrane of the tubes secretes a 
fluid from the blood and as the fluid is forced to flow 
into the uterus by the motion of the tubes, it carries with 
it the impregnated ovum. If the fertilized ovum should 
become lodged in the tubes by a diseased or abnormal 
condition of the tube, as is often the case, pregnancy then 




Fig-. 20 — Showing- the outer opening of the tube on the stretcli. No- 
tice how tlie frills extend to the ovary. 

takes place in the tube instead of the uterus. This is 
more fully considered in Chapters TV and Y, Conception 
and Tubal Pregnancy. 

THE OVARIES. 

The Ovaries are two oval shaped bodies that lie at 
the sides of the uterus. You will notice they are below 



20 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

the Fallopian tubes, Fig. 22. They are attached to the 
back of the broad ligament in about its center. Generally 
speaking, the ovaries hang free in the abdominal cavity, 
fastened at each end and on one side. They are about 
one and one-half inches long, one inch wide, and one-half 
of an inch thick. The inner end is thinner than the outer 




Fig". 21 — Showing' the right fallopian tube laid open, ab, Uterine 
portion of tube, cd, Folds of the lining membrane, g, Round 
ligament, h, Ovary. (Garrigues Diseases of Women.) 

and is attached to the corner of the uterus by a cord-like 
band, called the ovarian ligament. Fig. 22 LO. This 
ligament is fastened to the side of the uterus just under 
the tube, the outer end being broad is fastened to that 
part of the broad ligament near the outer end of the 
tube. The front surface of the ovary is almost flat and 
quite dense in structure, being closely united with and 
attached to the broad ligament. 

The part that extends out backwards is even, smooth, 



THE OVARIES 



21 



velvety and of a pearl-grey color. This is the condition 
in a young girl, late in life it becomes hard and irregular ; 
depressions form on the surface, Fig. 23, and after the 
menopause it shrinks until it is very small, and finally is 
no larger than a pea. The ovaries are near the rectum 
and are surrounded by coils of the small in- 
testines. The ovaries have a very rich blood and 




Fig. 22 — Right ovary and tube of 3'oung girl, age 16, seen from be- 
hind. U T, Tube. O, Ovary. L O, Ovarian ligament. Note 
how smooth surface of the ovary. (Garrigues Diseases of 
Women.) 

nerve supply. Their function is to develop and expel 
the ova by the formation and rupture of Graafian follicles. 
The body of the ovary is composed of two parts, the 
inner and the outer. The outer part varies in thickness 
according to the age of the woman. It becomes thinner 
with advancing years. Fig. 24 illustrates the inner and 
outer part ; the ovary in this case is cut lengthwise. Fig. 
2a— . 



22 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



25 gives another illustration of an ovary, shoAving the 
outer part with a recent rupture of the follicles, and many 
little cavities filled with a fluid ; in this fluid is a little 
cell called the ovum. Fig. 27. These little cavities are 
called Graafian follicles, Fig. 26 ; there is a little center in 
the ovum that has been named the germinal vesicle. It 



V'-'^ 



LO 






rr-y^ 



Pig-. 23 — Tube and ovary of a girl 24 years old, seen from behind. 
Showing tlie depressions (scar tissue) on the ovary caused by 
rupture of the Graafian follicles. U T, Tube. L O, Ovarian 
ligament, b, Where the follicles have ruptured. 

contains a still smaller cell called the germinal spot, 
Fig. 27. Sometimes two or three germinal vesicles are 
in an ovum ; when this is the case twins or triplets are 
often born. The germinal vesicle and germinal spot is 
the part from the ovum which unites with the spermata- 
zoon and causes conception to take place. The Graafian fol- 



THE OVARIES 



23 



licles are separated from each other by thin layers of 
tissue. The follicles begin to develop from birth, but 
do not reach the surface of the ovary until after puberty. 
Nature has ordained that these Graafian follicles en- 
large and undergo marked changes. They approach the 
surface of the ovary while at the same time the ovum 
goes through certain changes. This stage of develop- 
ment goes on until the walls of the follicles on the sur- 





Fig-. 24 — Showing- inner and outer part of ovary, c, e, d, Graafian 
foHicles situated in outer part, d, Outer part, f, Inner part, 
a. External covering. (Garrigues Diseases of Women.) 

Fig. 25 — Showing ovary of a woman with a collapsed graafian fol- 
licle fifteen days after menstruation. Also other small follicles 
filled with fluid that contain ova. (Garrigues Diseases of 
Women.) 

face of the ovary become very thin; and then, as ovulation 
causes the ovary to become congested, the increased blood 
pressure causes the Graafian follicle to rupture, Fig. 28, 
and the ovum escapes into the abdominal cavity, or it 
passes into the tube so that conception may take place. 
The number of ova produced in both ovaries is enormous, 
—about 72,000 during the average menstrual life. 

When the Graafian follicles rupture, the ovum and 
the fluid which is in the follicle escape and the empty 



24 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



follicle collapses, Fig. 25, and in a short time the cavity 
is filled with blood. 

The walls of the cavity begin to grow and fill up 
the space, crowding the blood clot to the center. In 
healthy young girls this is all absorbed and new tissue 
similar in structure to that of the ovary is formed. 

In older Avomen where the circulation in tlie ovary is 




Fig. 26 — Cross section of outer part of ovary to show the graafian 
foUicles. 5, IlUistrates follicles in their early stages. 6, 7, 8, 
More advanced. 9, Almost matured follicle. 9', A follicle in 
which no ova has developed. (Garrigues Diseases of Women.) 

not good, this absorption does not take place until a 
change occurs in the tissues which fill up the cavity. 
When this change takes place absorption occurs the same 
as in a young girl. 

There is no Graafian follicle formed while the woman 
is pregnant or after the menopause. The maturing and 
rupturing of a Graafian follicle and the escape of the ova 



THE OVARIES 



25 



is called ovulation, and just what relation exists be- 
tween menstruation and ovulation is not fuUv known. 
Is ovulation a continuous process or does it occur at reg- 




Fig-. 27 — Showing- three separate graafian follicles with ova in cen- 
ter, with germinal vesicle and germinal spot. The circular lines 
c in 2 represents the fluid. The clear spot in each the ova. The 
small dark spot the germinal vesicle, and the little white speck 
in the germinal vesicle in No. 1 the germinal spot. (Garrigues 
Diseases of Women.) 

ular periods, and if so, does it occur at the same time 
that menstruation takes place? We can best answer 
these questions, not by giving various theories that have 




Fig. 28 — A, Showing a graafian follicle ready to rupture. B, 
Graafian follicle developing. 



26 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

been advanced by the medical profession, but by record- 
ing the following facts: 

1. Conception has occurred while child is nursing 
— also after the change of life. 

2. Young girls have become pregnant before they 
menstruated. 

3. Women have been known to menstruate only 
when they are pregnant. 

4. Conception may take place at any time during 
the month, but it is most likely to occur just before or 
after menstruation. 



CHAPTER TT. 

PUBERTY. 

Definition: — Puberty is the change from girlhood to 
womanliood. A development of the sexual organs is 
caused by the influence of the nerves connecting the 
brain with the genital organs and the result is a won- 
derful maturing of the system. The physical change is 
gradual. The breasts become larger; the hips, broader; 
the whole body takes on a rounded and shapely form 
and is gracefully molded; hair grows on the external 
genitals : the uterus enlarges ; menstruation begins ; the 
attraction between the sexes becomes for the first time 
apparent. 

General Consideration. 
Marked changes take place at puberty. The feeling 
of sentimental life is present. New, beautiful pictures are 
revealed to the mind, and have, under favorable cir- 
cumstances, become a source of rich mental development. 
In the words of Parvin, ''The girl passing into woman- 
hood puts away childish things, turns from frivolous 
amusements, from the toys and plays, or from the rude 
sports in which she has found pleasure. She enters a 
new life, has new thoughts, desires, and emotions ; hither- 
to she has been living solely in and for the present, but 



28 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

now the future with its lights and shadows, its hopes 
and fears, makes a large part of her life. She is more 
sensitive and reserved, manifests a modest dignity, giving 
and expecting respect, her individuality becomes more 
apparent, her sense of duty stronger and her ambition 
greater. ' ' 

A woman is not fully developed until she is twenty. 
True, she can become pregnant as soon as she menstru- 
ates, but that is no reason why she should marry and 
become a mother. Garrigues says, ^^ Statistics show that 
the women who marry under twenty years of age die 
very young. It is acting against nature's laws that 
women should become mothers before they are full- 
grown. The uterus should attain its full size, the breasts 
should be fit for nursing, the pelvis should be of sufficient 
size to allow the passage of a full-grown child, the muscles 
of the uterus should have the strength to propel it, and 
the whole system should have full power of resistance 
and endurance. It may, therefore, be stated that most 
women should not marry before they are twenty years 
old." 

Early maternity makes pregnancy dangerous and 
complicates labor. It also has injurious effects upon the 
child which may be poorly developed and often dies 
soon after birth. Mothers should teach their daughters 
that puberty does not mean fitness for reproduction or 
for married life. 



PUBERTY 29 

Management. 

Puberty is the most critical period in a girl's life. 
She may ruin her health by not living properly at this 
time. Mothers, do not be indifferent about your daugh- 
ters. Ton know "what it means to become a mother. It 
requires a vigorous and sound constitution, which cannot 
be obtained without strict attention to the care of the 
body. You should give your best efforts to your daughters 
— 'Hhe beauty of the world." Give each one time to 
develop, see that she has good wholesome food, plenty of 
rest, and carefully regulate her exercise. Do not allo^^ 
overstudy. AYlien the breasts begin to develop at puberty 
one part of the gland may grow faster than the other 
causing a tender and painful swelling which need not 
be the soinx-e of any alarm. Hot applications will relieve 
the pain and the swelling will disappear. Care for her 
during the menstrual period as directed in the following 
chapter. 



CHAPTER III. 

MENSTRUATION. 

Definition: — Menstruation, which comes at regular 
intervals is characterized by a bloody discharge from 
the uterus. It first takes place at puberty — which varies 
with the individual. Menstruation is often referred to 
by using the terms unwell, menses, menstrual flow, 
monthly sickness, periods, etc. 

Time. 

The menstrual flow begins at pul)erty. In wai*m 
climates it occurs earlier in life than in cold. The aver- 
age age in the United States is fourt(MMi years. 

Symptoms. 

The symptoms are both geiuM-al and local. The 
healthiest of women are more or less affected, although 
the general and local symptoms may be so slight that men- 
struation occurs without causing any inconvenience 
whatever. In others again the symptoms are too severe 
to be considered normal. 

General Symptoms: — There is a general nervous con- 
dition manifested by neuralgic pains, headaches, irri- 
tability of the bladder, hot and cold flushes, and some- 
times diarrhoea. In some women the breasts are swollen 



MENSTRUATION 



31 



and painful. Digestion and appetite are affected. There 
is a desire to be languid and active exercise causes great 
effort. The skin under the eyes may be dark in color 
and in occasional cases pimples occur on the face, chest, 
and back. 




Fig-. 29 — Showing the uterus during menstruation. Notice the 
swelling of the entire organ, especially the lining membrane. 
A, Vagina. E, C, Mucous membrane lining the cavity of the 
uterus. D, Muscular layer. E, Opening into tube. P, Internal 
opening into uterus. B, Cavity of uterus. (Courty.) (Garrigues 
Diseases of Women.) 

Local Symptoms: — The beginning of the flow is pre- 
ceded by a general aching through the pelvic organs, a 



32 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

bearing down feeling, a sensation of weight in the region 
of the ovaries, and a bloating of the abdomen. 

Regularity. 

In nearly all normal cases menstruation occurs 
every twenty-eight days. Yet every woman is a law unto 
herself and many vary from the normal and at the same 
time have perfect health. When a woman is well her 
case is considered normal whether she menstruates every 
two, three, or six weeks. 

Changes. 

In the Uterus: — The uterus becomes enlarged i\ui\ the 
lining membrane congested and filled with blood. Fig. 29. 
This thin lining is destroyed, allowing the small blood 
vessels to rupture. A flow which comes from the inside 
of the uterus appears, — the lining membranes and blood 
passing off together. The destructive process places the 
womb in a condition for pregnancy. If pregnancy does 
not occur, the repair process begins and a new lining is 
formed in about four or five days, and in about fourteen 
days the womb is again its normal size. 

In the Tubes and Ovaries: — The tubes and ovaries 
as well as the uterus become congested, and this conges- 
tion helps to rupture the Graafian follicle, Fig. 30, and 
Fig. 30 A. 



MENSTRUATION 



33 



Character of the Flow. 

When the menstrual flow first begins it is mucous, 
containing a little blood. When it is well established, it is 
is pure venous blood, dark in color, alkaline in action, 




Fig. 30 — Showing- the congested condition of the tube and ovary 
during menstruation, f, FaUopian tube. 1, Broad ligament, o. 
Ovary, i, End of tube covering ovary, r, r, Shows where old 
follicles have ruptured. (Garrigues Diseases of Women.) 

and does not coagulate. As the flow lessens it again be- 
comes mucous in character. 

Duration. 

The menstrual flow lasts from three to five days. In 
some cases, it may be less and in others more, and the 
woman will not suft'er any inconvenience. The duration 
is less in robust women. 



34 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

Quantity. 

The amount of blood lost at each period varies, but 
the average is about six ounces. 

Cause. 

The cause of nienstrua1?ion is not thoroughly under- 
stood. Authorities differ, but it i^ safe to surmise that 
it is due to, and regulated by some nerve center located 
in the central nervous system and stimulated into the 
action by the growth and rupture of the Graafian follicle 
in the ovaries. 




Fig". 30 A — Longitudinal section of ovary of a woman on the first 
day of menstruation, with one burst 'follicle opening on the 
surface and other follicles in diffeerent stages of development. 
(Leopold.) (Garrigues Diseases of Women.) 

Menstrual Life. 

The average menstrual life of a woman is thirty to 
thirty-five years. The earlier in life puberty comes the 
later will the change appear. Thus, a girl who begins 
to menstruate at ten years of age will not have the change 
until fifty years, while the one who does not menstruate 



MENSTRUATION 35 

until sixteen years old will change between thirty-five 
and forty. As a rule when a woman is pregnant or nurs- 
ing a child, the menses are not discharged. The monthly 
flow should reappear one month after the baby is weaned. 

Care During Menstruation. 

1. During the first day of menstruation keep quiet, 
■ — remain in bed or occupy a sofa. 

2. Make your duties as light as possible during the 
flow and avoid active exercise, as walking, dancing, or 
the excitement of theatres or parties of any kind. School 
girls should not overstudy during this time, — in fact 
they should do a \^ery small amount of school work. 

3. Keep out of all draughts and avoid exposure to 
the inclemency of the weather. 

4. Do not take cold baths or sponges, but keep the 
body clean and the skin active by taking a daily sponge 
bath of warm water and soap followed by a brisk rub- 
bing with a bath towel. 

5. Clean the external organs twice daily with warm 
water and soap. 

6. Change the napkins often enough so that they 
will not become over saturated or foul. 

7. Do not take a vaginal douche unless ordered 
by your physician. 

8. Avoid sexual intercourse. It will do serious mis- 
chief. 



36 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

9. Keep to a light and easily digested diet. Avoid 
all highly seasoned foods; alcoholic stimulants are in- 
jurious and should be avoided. 

Kind of Napkins to Use. 

Every woman should supply herself with sterilized 
napkins. It is best to buy them from some good firm 
like Seabury & Johnson, manufacturers of surgical dress- 
ings. Your druggist can get them for you, or they can 
be made at home out of plain sterile gauze and absorbent 
cotton. The ordinary habit women have of using any 
old piece of cloth should be discarded. None but sterile 
napkins should be used. If cloths or towels are used 
they should be sterilized. This can be done by wrapping 
them in a piece of muslin and heating them in the oven 
until the outer wrapper is quite brown. 

General Remarks. 

There are some peculiar conditions in regard to 
menstruation to be considered in a general way. Cases 
are reported where women menstruate when pregnant 
and while nursing their children. Infants are also known 
to menstruate. The writer had a case that menstruated 
at one month of age and w^as regular for two years while 
under observation. This is a rare occurrence, yet it is 
not uncommon to hear of cases where menstruation has 
occurred very early in childhood. This condition is 
usually attended with development of the breasts, gen- 



MENSTRUATION 37 

itals, and the sexual appetite often becomes manifest. 
Cases are known Avliere pregnancy lias taken place. This 
proves that the organs of generation are developed in 
harmony with normal puberty. Any prematurely devel- 
oped coiidition should be reported to your family phy- 
sician and great care should be taken of such cases. The 
moral character of the child should be kept at a high 
standard and shielded from evil influences and she should 
be carefully watched to prevent self-abuse. The diet, ex- 
ercise, and hours devoted to study and sleep should be 
carefully regulated. The use of cold sponge baths is often 
beneficial in these cases between periods. When men- 
struation occurs after fifteen years of age, it is said to be 
delayed. Cases are reported in which the first menstru- 
ation occurred at the age of thirty. Medical attention is 
necessary to ascertain the cause of delayed menstruation 
and restore the parts to a normal condition, thus pre- 
venting constitutional diseases. 

Women who are regular, but flow too much at the 
time of menstruation, have some displacement or inflam- 
matory condition of the pelvic organs. This excessive 
flowing demands treatment. Neglect may make surgical 
interference necessary. Various diseases cause this con- 
dition, and the habits of the individual, as high living, 
alcoholic stimulants, rich food, or a change of climate 
mav result in excessive menstruation. In some cases the 



38 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

cause is easily ascertained, in others, uncertainty may 
prevent fit treatment and the case may have a fatal 
termination. Continued loss of blood destroys the pa- 
tient's health and renders her liable to death from a 
trifling intercurrent disease. 

There is another condition in which no menstruation 
occurs. It may be suppressed by taking cold, or from 
exposure, as in cases of young girls who take cold l)aths 
and cold vaginal douches while menstruating. It may 
be temporarily suppressed l)y gi'ief, nng(M*, feai*, sudden 
joy or other emotions. 

Another condition is known as vicarious menstrua- 
tion. It is a bleeding occurring from any part of the 
body at the regular menstrual period, but it does not 
come from the uterus. It is very scanty, and is often 
accompanied by a profuse leucorrhoea or diarrhoea. This 
is a rare condition and is most frequently encount(n*ed 
when the genital organs are iu)t properly developed. It 
generally occurs from the nose, ear, lungs, and gums, 
but it may occur from any part of the body, the stomach, 
intestines, kidneys, bladder, etc. Often the local and 
general symptoms of menstruation are present. Gener- 
ally the parts subject to the hemorrhage are congested 
and painful. The danger of vicarious menstruation is 
dependent upon the location of the bleeding. Hem- 
orrhages from the lungs and bowels are very serious, 



MENSTRUATION 39 

but a graver condition arises when the bleeding takes 
place in the brain. A physician should immediately be 
consulted. 

Menstruation may be accompanied by pains so se- 
vere that it is considered abnormal. Prompt treatment 
should be given as this symptom is due to a disease lo- 
cated in the pelvic organs or. perhaps, of constitutional 
origin, — a disease, whatever it may be, which will in time 
undermine the health. 

The location and character of the pain and its rela- 
tion to the appearance and duration of the flow differ 
in many instances and depend largely upon the cause 
of the affection. The patient may suffer from sharp, 
shooting sensations, or from the heavy, dragging feeling 
commonly called ^'bearing-down pains.'' Rest, suitable 
exercise, diet, care of the bowels, vaginal douche, and the 
use of massage and electricity are a necessity. It is of 
great importance to the patient that the treatment should 
be conducted under the personal supervision of a com- 
petent physician. 



CHAPTER IV. 
CONCEPTION. 

Definition: — Conception or impregnation is the union 
of the ovum and spermatozoon. They are known as the 
two generative elements, and wlien they unite the forma- 
tion and growth of the child l)egins. 

The Ovum is fully explained in Chapter 1, the 
ovaries. 




Fig-. 31 — Human spermatozoa, h, Head, c, Body, t, Tail. 

The Spermatozoa, Fig. 31, are formed in the testicles 
and ejaculated in the semen, a fluid which passes from 
the man indulging in sexual intercourse. They consist 



CONCEPTION 41 

of three portions, head, body and tail, and are shaped 
somewhat like a tadpole. The head is somewhat flat 
and pointed; the body, short; the tail, long and thin. By 
the rapid vibration of their tails they can move about 
one-twelfth of an inch per minute. They are only one 
six-thousandth of an inch in diameter. As a rule spermat- 
ozoa make their first appearance in boys of the age of 
sixteen years. They are constantly reproduced in man 
— in most cases until the end of life. In the adult one 
drop of semen contains hundreds of spermatozoa, and 
from sixty to one hundred drops are expelled from a 
man at each normal intercourse. 

When Conception Occurs. 

Conception may occur at any time, but a woman is 
more liable to become pregnant just before or after 
menstruation. Experience teaches that the best chance 
for impregnation to take place is offered just before the 
flow. Both the ovum and spermatozoon may remain in 
a normal and active state in the tubes for several days, 
or even weeks. 

How the Union of the Ovum and Spermatozoon Takes 

Place. 

Generally one spermatozoon will impregnate the ovum. 
The germinal vesicle undergoes some changes, enlarges 
in size, and moves to the edge of the ovum. The spermato- 



42 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



zoon nearest the germinal vesicle penetrates the ovum, 
Fig. 32. After entering the germinal vesicle and uniting 
with the germinal spot the spermatozoon throws off its 
tail, the head flattens and enlarges, the two elements fuse 
together and form a new body. The manner in which 
this union takes place is more fully ilhistrated in Fig. 
33. A, B, and C represent an enlarged germinal vesicle; 
the large white spot in the center of A and B, the germ- 
inal spot, the Avhite s[)()t in the center of (\ th(^ union 




W^^§i0^ 




• y-'o\\xy-^.'' vj ; } '•:': \ y * '• ! • 




'•:!*oV^"-fi*.>j|^'f i* ?;:'^^^^^ 



Fig. 32 — Showing tlie approacli and fusion of tlie spermatozoon and 
ovum. a. Spermatozoon. 1). Ovum with germinal vesicle near 
the edge, b' b", Different stages of the ovum and spermatozoon. 
(Garrigues Diseases of Women.) 

of the spermatozoon and germinal spot. This union must 
take place before conception can occur. 

The further development of the ovum will be con- 
sidered in Chapter VT. 

The Place Where the Ovum and Spermatozoon Meet. 

During copulation the semen is deposited in the vag- 



CONCEPTION 



43 



ina, but the question is, how does the spermatozoon get 
into the uterus, and where does it meet the ovum? 

The weight of authority teaches that the spermatozoa 
enter the uterus by their own movements, as it has been 
shown that they can move at a rapid rate. This theory 
is proven by the fact that women have become pregnant 
when connection was imperfect. 

One authority claims that at the height of orgasm, 
the uterus contracts, then expands quickly, draAving the 
semen \xp into itself. 

Another belief is, that the thick mucous found in 






A B 



AB 



Fig. 33 — Showing- the uaiion of the germinal vesicle and spermato- 
zoon, a, First stage of approach of the spermatozoon to the 
germinal spot, b, Second stage, c. After union has occurred. 
A, Germinal spot. B, Spermatozoon. 

the cervix protrudes from the uterus during connection 
and after being covered with spermatozoa is drawn back 
into the uterus. The first theory mentioned is the ac- 
cepted one, that is, the spermatozoa reach their destina- 
tion by their own movements. 



44 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

Since the ovum and spermatozoon move by their 
own or external forces from place to place, impregna- 
tion may take place in the tube, uterus or ovaries. The 
ovum and spermatozoon generally meet in the tube, from 
whence they are carried to the uterus where pregnancy 
develops. Pregnancy, however, may develop in the tube 
or in the ovary if spermatozoa are present when the fol- 
licle ruptures. The ovum may be impregnated before it 
escapes from the follicle. When pregnancy develops out- 
side of the uterus, it is called extra uterine or tubal 
pregnancy. See Tubal Pregnancy, Chapter V. 

How the Ovum Gains Access to the Tube. 

After the Graafian follicle ruptures and the ovum 
is free, it is interesting to note the manner in which it 
enters the tube. Many authors have advanced as many 
theories, but the one considered as best, with the most 
satisfactory proof, is the one we mention. Between 
the pelvic organs is a certain amount of fluid, only enough 
to keep the surface well moistened. This fluid is kept in 
motion to a greater or less extent by the free end of the 
tube (the fimbriated part). When the ovum escapes it 
is caught by the wave-like movement of the fluid and 
carried into one of the tubes, whence it goes to the uterus. 
An ovum from one side may enter the tube on the other 
side. Many ova which escape from the follicles do not 
enter either tube but perish in the abdominal cavity. 



CHAPTER V. 

TUBAL PREGNANCY. 

Definition: — By tubal pregnancy we mean that preg- 
nancy develops in the tube and not in the uterus; it is 
often called Extra-Uterine, or Ectopic pregnancy. The 
ovum becomes permanently arrested in the tube and 
tubal pregnancy occurs. 

CAUSE. 

Tubal pregnancy occurs in about one out of five 
hundred cases, more frequently after a long period of 




Fig-. 34 — Showing location of tubal pregnancy. 3 and 4 most com- 
mon location. 2 next in frequency. 1 and 5 rarely occur. (Gil- 
liam's Practical Gynecology', copyright F. A. Davis Company.) 
3- 



46 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

sterility, or immediately after confinement. It may occur 
at the same time that normal pregnancy occurs. No 
period in child-bearing life is exempt. Any obstruction 
in the canal would be a cause for tubal pregnancy. It 
may be the resnlt of inner inflammation or of a pres- 
sure of tumors on the outside. 

LOCATION. 

When tubal pregnancy occurs in the tube it may be 
located anywhere in the canal, but most frequently as 
illustrated in Fig. 34. 

SYMPTOMS. 

When the foetus begins to develop in the tube it 
generally gives rise to early symptoms of pregnancy. 
The shock of a free internal hemmorhage caused by rup- 
ture of the tube is at limes the first symptom noticed. 
Usually the lining membrane of the uterus is cast off in 
the form of shreds. The great loss of blood may cause a 
woman to believe that she has had a miscarriage. At 
times only a slight amount of blood of a dirty brown color 
is passed irregularly. A woman who has a tubal 
pregnancy complains of pains in the abdomen and low 
down in one side; the pains come and go. These patients 
generally give a history of sterility. If the pregnancy 
goes on past the third month, milk will appear in the 
breast. 



TUBAL PREGNANCY 



47 



CHANGES THAT TAKE PLACE IN THE UTERUS 
DURING TUBAL PREGNANCY. 

During the development of the foetus in the tube the 
uterus becomes enlarged and the cervix is very soft. If 
the developing child dies, the uterus does not enlarge 
any more, but Avhen tubal pregnancy continues to full 
term or near that time, the uterus will enlarge to the 
size of a normal four months pregnancy. 

HOW TUBAL PREGNANCY ENDS. 

Tubal pregnancy will terminate in one of four ways : 
1. Tubal abortion. 




Fig-. 35 — Showing- tubal abortion of the product of conception into 
the abdominal cavity through the end of the tube. (Ashton's 
Practice of Gynecology.) 



2. Rupture of the tube. 

3. Death of the child. 



48 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



4. Development of child to full term. 

1. Tubal Abortion, see Pig. 35. If tubal abortion 
occurs it will do so before the second month. It is gen- 
erally accompanied by severe hemorrhage. If only a 
partial expulsion takes place the bleeding is profuse and 
the patient quickly dies as a result of internal hem- 
orrhage. 

2. Rupture of the Tube. Tubal pregnancy usually 
ends in the rupture of the tube in one of three direc- 
tions, Fig. 36. It may be toward the abdominal cavity, 
into the folds of the broad ligament or into the uterus. 
The abdominal rupture is the most common form and 




Fig. 36 — Showing the three directions in whicli a rupture of a tubal 
pregnancy may take place. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

the patient usually dies within a few hours unless the 
bleeding is immediately controlled by a surgical opera- 



TUBAL PREGNANCY 49 

tion. If the blood is confined in the folds of the broad 
ligaments the child will probably die. In time the blood 
and product of conception may be absorbed; if not, the 
mass becomes infected and forms an abscess. If the walls 
of the broad ligament are not strong enough to hold 
the blood it ruptures into the abdominal cavity with the 
same results as if the tube ruptured directly. 

If the tube ruptures into the uterus it occurs very 
slowly. If the placenta remains attached, the child may 
be developed and be delivered at full term. If the rup- 
ture of the tube into uterus occurs rapidly, as it some- 
times does, then the product of conception is often ex- 
pelled through the uterus and a surgical operation is re- 
quired. 

3. If the foetus dies during the first or second week 
it may remain in the tube and not cause any trouble for 
some time. In time the mass will cause irritation so severe 
that an operation will be necessary. 

4. Very rare cases are recorded where the child 
developed in the tube to full term, then died. Other cases 
are known where the child lived to the end of normal 
pregnancy and the mother and child were saved by 
operation. 



CHAPTER VI. 

HOW THE CHILD DEVELOPS IN THE UTERUS. 

It is best not to enter into the details of embryology 
to any great extent, as it is quite complicated and diffi- 
cult to understand, but there are a few essential points of 
interest with which a woman should be familiar if she 
wishes to comprehend the subjects of pregnancy and 
abortions. 

A B C 






Figs. 37, 38, 39 — Showing- tlie first tliree stages of development of 
the foetus. a — Fig. 37, first stage; b — Fig. 3S, second stage; 
c — Fig. 39, third stage. 

THE MEMBRANES. 

Soon after the germinal vesicle of the ovum and the 
spermatzoon meet, there begins a process of cell division, 
each cell dividing and forming two cells. The process 
continues until the original ovum becomes converted into 
a mass of cells. Fig. 37. After the cells are formed in the 
ovum a fluid gathers among them forcing them to the 



HOW THE CHILD DEVELOPS 51 

side, thus, we have a smgie layer of cells surrounding a 
cavity filled with fluid, Fig. 38. The next change is a 
collection of cells at one point on the inner surface of the 
single layer of cells forming the walls, of the vesicle just 
mentioned. These changes go on during the first few 
hours of pregnancy while the fertilized ovum is coming 
down the tube. Several new membranes are formed in- 
side the vesicle by the group of cells as illustrated in Fig. 




Fig. 40 — Human ovum of eight daj's showing- how the villi com- 
pletely cover the outer surface of the ovum. (Williams' Ob- 
stetrics.) 

39. The outside membrane unites with the single layer of 
cells, Fig. 38-B, and forms the outside membrane of the 
ovum. It is called the chorion. It is smooth at first, but 
it becomes sliaggy by growth of processes called villi. The 
villi at first cover the whole outside surface of the ovum, 



52 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

Fig. 40, Later they are found only at the place where 
the ovum is attached to the uterus, this being the point 
where the placenta (afterbirth) is formed. Another 
membrane begins to grow from these cells and its edges 
unite, forming a sac. The outer surface is in contact with 
and slightly joined to the inner surface of the chorion. 
This membrane is called amnion. The sac or cavity be- 
comes filled with liquid (liquor amnii) known as the bag 
of water. The fluid increases in amount as pregnancy ad- 
vances. The average amount is from one to four pints. 
It takes up the urine which is occasionally voided by the 
child and protects it against injury. It affords some 
nourishment and by allowing free movement of the child 
in the uterus, favors the development of the limbs. It 
acts as a bag to dilate the cervix during labor nnd inoisteiis 
the walls of the vagina to make labor easy. 

Other membranes with their many subdivisions, fold- 
ings, and peculiar growths are formed from this same 
group of cells and are used directly in the formation of 
the child. It will suffice to say that one membrane forms 
the spinal cord, brain, organs of special sense and the 
skin ; another forms the blood vessels, bone, and muscles ; 
another, the lungs and the alimentary canal, and another 
is used to line the serous cavities of the body. 

While all these changes which result in the rapid 
growth of the child are going on, the part of the ovum 



HOW THE CHILD DEVELOPS 53 

next the uterine wall where the group of cells are at- 
tached has been developing with equal rapidity and unites 
with the decidua and the cord to form the afterbirth. 

We have been considering the membrane which forms 
the child, but before we take up the study of the placenta, 




Fetal surface of the placenta. 

Fig. 41 — Showing the side of the placenta next to the child. This 
is the side that is covered with the amnion and chorion. (Gar- 
rigues' Text-book of Obstetrics.) 

let US describe more fully the changes which take place in 
the lining membrane of the uterus to prepare it for the 
reception of the ovum. 
3a— 



54 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

The Decidua is the lining membrane of the uterus 
after it has undergone certain changes caused by preg- 
nancy to fit it for the attachment and nutrition of the 
ovum. It is called decidua because it is cast off after 
labor. It is a new growth composed of several layers and 




Maternal surface of the placenta. 



Fig. 42 — Showing- the side of the placenta next to the viterus. This 
is the decidual part. (Garrigues' Text-book of Obstetrics.) 

is fastened to, in fact is, a part of the uterus for the time 
being. Its surface has deep furrows and depressions to 
which the villi find access. 

At the termination of labor all of the decidua, except 
that part assisting in the formation of the placenta, has 



HOW THE CHILD DEVELOPS 55 

become very thiu because of the immense size of the 
uterus. 

The placenta is formed at the spot where the ovum 
is attached to the inside of the- uterus. The membranes 
and the decidua that form the placenta at full term are 
about one inch in thickness in the center and somewhat 
thinner around the edges. It is circular in shape, and 




Fig. 43 — Showing- the formation of the cord. a-a — is the liquor 
amnion, tlie dark ojbect is the foetus, tlie membrane extending 
from V to foetus is the cord, tlie leaf-like objects are the villi. 
(Garrigues' Text-book of Obstetrics.) 

from six to eight inches in diameter. The side next to the 
child is smooth and covered with amnion. Fig. 41. Under 
the thin and loosely attached amnion are seen the blood 
vessels. The cord is attached to this side in the center. 
The side next to the uterus. Fig. 42, is the decidua. and 
under it are the villi of the chorion. It is very rough 



56 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



and has many deep furrows leaving small round islands 
between the depressions. The placenta is generally lo- 
cated high up on the back part of the inside of the uterus. 
The lower edge extends about four inches above the inter- 
nal opening into the uterus. 

THE CORD. 

The umbilical cord, Fig. 43, extends from the abdo- 
men of the child to the center of the afterbirth (Figs. 



^.0 




Fig. 44 — Showing a cross section of the umbilical cord, c — outer 
covering, v.u. — umbilical veins, a.u. — umbilical artery. (Gar- 
rigues' Text-book of Obstetrics.) 

41 and 42 show cord attached to the afterbirth.) It is 
about twenty inches long and the average size is about 
that of the index finger, larger or smaller as the case may 
be. The cord is composed of tAvo arteries and one vein 



HOW THE CHILD DEVELOPS 



57 



Fig. 44, a gelatine substance and an outside covering 
formed by the amnion. It has no nerves. 

NUTRITION. 

The ovum is nourished before and after conception 
by absorbing its nutrition from any tissue with which it 




Fig. 45 — Human ovum with child of four weeks, natural size. (Gar- 
rigues' Text-book of Obstetrics.) 



comes in contact. Then the villi which absorb fluid like 
the roots of a plant are formed on the outside of the 
ovum, Fig. 49. As pregnancy advances the villi and the 
chorion with the blood vessels grow into the decidua and 



58 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



nourishment is derived through them from the mother's 
blood. Finally when the placenta and cord are formed, 
all nutrition passes through them, yet there is no change 
in the way in which it passes, that is, there is no direct 
connection between the blood of the mother and child. All 
the nutrition which the child receives must be taken by 
absorption. It will be interesting to note that gases such 
as chloroform and ether, fluids, and various drugs, can be 
transferred to the child through the placenta by the villi 
of the chorion, and the motlKM- may att'ect her unbornv 




Fig. 46 — Human ovum and child at the end of the second month; 
actual size. Wood's Museum, Bellevue Hospital. (Garrigues' 
Text-book of Obstetrics.) 

child by taking medicine. Only medicines prescribed by 
a physician should be taken by a pregnant woman. 

The child also receives some nourishment from the 
liquor amnii — that it swallows large quantities of this 



HOW THE CHILD DEVELOPS 59 

fluid is proved by the fact that scales of baby skin and 
hair from the head is found in the first movement of the 
bowels. The element of nutrition in the liquor amnii is in 
the form of albumen water. 

FIRST MONTH. 

The membranes grow and the child develops very 
rapidly during the first month. Fig. 45. The parts which 




Fig. 47 — Human foetus, 3 months old, natural size. (Williams' Ob- 
stetrics.) 

later form the eyes, ears, and nose make their appear- 
ance. At the end of the first month the embryo measures 
from three to four-tenths of an inch in length. 



60 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

SECOND MONTH. 

In this month the head enlarges and develops out of 
proportion to the rest of the child ; the part which forms 
the nose, mouth, and ears is not so prominent. The arms 
and legs are more developed and at the end of this month 
the embyro begins to look like a human being. The 
membranes which form the external genitals make their 
appearance when the child has attained the length of an 
inch. Fig. 49 represents a six weeks pregnant uterus 
with elongation of the cervix showing the extent to which 
the uterine cavity is occupied by the ovum. 




Fig-. 48 — Child of eight weeks, natural size. 

THIRD MONTH. 

The product of conception is about as large as a 
goose egg at the end of the third month, and from three 
to four inches long. The bones are becoming well formed, 
the fingers and toes are supplied with nails and the ex- 
ternal genitals are becoming well defined. Fig. 48. 



HOW THE CHILD DEVELOPS 
FOURTH MONTH. 



61 



By the end of the fourth month the child is from 
five to six inches long and weighs about one-fourth of a 
pound, and the external genitals reveal the sex. 




Fig. 49 — O.E. — external opening; O.I. — internal opening; D.V., D.S. 
and D.R. — decidua; Emb. — foetus; P.I. — afterbirth. Note the 
length of the cervix and the extent to which the cavity of the 
uterus is occupied by the ovum. (Williams' Obstetrics.) 

FIFTH MONTH. 

The length of the child at the end of this month 



62 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

varies from eight to twelve inches and it weighs from 
one-half to three-quarters of a ponnd. The skin is not so 
transparent, down covers the Ixxly, jind a smnll nmoimt of 
hair l)egins to a])penr on tlu^ head. 

SIXTH MONTH. 

The child weighs al)out one and a half pounds at the 
end of the sixth month and is from fourteen to (Mgliteen 
inches long. Tlic sl<in hccomcs wriid<lc<l and fat is d(^- 
posited under it, and the liead is still eompai'atively (juite 
large. A cliild ])orn duiiiiu lliis month will atl(Miipt to 
breathe and move its limbs, but always dies wilhin a short 
time. 

SEVENTH MONTH. 

The child does not grow vrry much in h*n^lii duiinu 
the seventh month, Init almost doubles in wcMght. The 
skin is thin and red. If it is l)orn at this tinu^ it will cry 
in a weak voice, move its lind)s (piit(* freely, but as a 
rule it cannot live. It is generally l)elieved that a child 
born at the end of the seventh month has a better chance 
of living than if it is born at the end of the eighth month. 
This is not true, as the more developed the child tlie 
greater are its chances for life. 

EIGHTH MONTH. 

During this month the child gains both in length and 
weight. Its weight is about four pounds and it attains the 



HOW THE CHILD DEVELOPS 63 

length of twenty inches. The surface of the skin is still 
red and wrinkled and the child looks like an old person. 
If it is born at the end of this month it has only a fair 
chance to live, with the most expert care. 

NINTH MONTH. 

At the end of this month the child is on an average 
twenty-one inches long and weighs five pounds. The 
body becomes full and round and the face has lost its 
wrinkles. Children born at this age generally live if they 
have the proper care. 

TENTH MONTH. 

Full term is reached at the end of this month. The 
child has fully developed and presents the appearance 
which is considered in detail in ^^ HELPFUL HINTS FOR 
MOTHERS/' Chapter XXII. 

THE DURATION OF PREGNANCY. 

The average duration of pregnancy from the begin- 
ning of the last menstrual flow to the onset of labor is two 
hundred and eighty days, or ten lunar months, yet many 
children are born shortly before or after the expiration 
of that period. 

SEX OF THE UNBORN CHILD. 

Prospective mothers are deeply anxious to know of 
any means by which the sex of the unborn child can be 



64 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

determined. It is amusing to hear the various theories 
advanced about the signs of sex. Many of these are too 
absurd to be repeated. Even the most learned medical 
scientists contradict each other in their ideas upon the 
subject. 

Some claim that the age of parents has its influence, 
that is, a young wife whose husband is several years older 
than she is apt to give birth to boys. Again, some think 
that sex is determined by the stronger parent; others be- 
lieve that when conception occurs just before menstrua- 
tion it favors the birth of girls, if after menstruation, the 
birth of boys. 

It is a fact that more boys tlian girls ai*e born. The 
ratio is about one hundred and six to one hundred, and 
the proportion is increased in women who have had sev- 
eral children. If a woman gives birth to her first child 
after she is thirty years old the proportion increases to 
one hundred and twenty to one hundred. At the fiftieth 
year it is one hundred and forty to one hundred. 

At one time it wns generally believed that sex was not 
established until some time after conception occurs, but 
recent investigation shows that sex is determined in the 
germ cells, the moment cell division begins in the ovum. 
It is a well known fact that when tw^ins are derived from 
the same ovum they are the same sex, but when each is 



HOW THE CHILD DEVELOPS 65 

derived from a different ovum the sex may or may not 
be the same. However, we cannot make any positive 
statements. No woman when she is pregnant can tell 
whether her child will be a boy or a girl. One thing only 
we can say positively, — the weight of authority tells us 
that the determination of sex is a function of the ovum. 




CHAPTER VII. 

STERILITY. 

Definition: — A woman who never l)econies a mother 
is said to be sterile. She may becoiiie pregnant but be 
unable to carry the child to full term. Until recent years 
it was believed that the woman was the sole cause of ster- 
ility, but investigation proves that the man may be at 
fault as well. Therefore, the sterility of the man nuist be 
considered in all cases of marriage in which there are 
no children born. 

Certain nornuil conditions nuist exist in a woman 
before she can become pregnant and bear children. The 
uterus and its lining membrane (endometrium) must be 
in a healthy condition. There must be normal secretions 
in the vagina and a capacity for copulation. An ovum 
must be present. 

Sterility is considered normal in women before pub- 
erty, while nursing a child, and after the menopause. 
Sometimes a woman ceases child-bearing nuuiy years be- 
fore she has the change of life. 

CAUSE OF STERILITY IN WOMAN. 

Sterility in woman may be produced by congenital 



STERILITY 67 

or acquired causes. In the first case the female organs 
are not properly developed from birth. In the second, the 
organs are injured by inflammation due to various dis- 
eases. 

IN CASES OF CONGENITAL STERILITY WE MAY 

HAVE 

1. An absence of the vagina or the growth of a sep- 
tum across the vagina near the uterus, thus preventing 
normal copulation. 

2. A ver}^ short vagina which will not hold the 
semen. 

3. Absence or non-development of the uterus. 

■i. A cervical canal closed at its opening into the 
uterus. 

5. Absence or non-development of the Fallopian 
tubes. A very trivial tubal lesion may be responsible for 
sterility. 

6. Absence or non-development of the ovaries. 

THE ACQUIRED CAUSES OF STERILITY ARE 

1. Severe inflammation of the vaginal wall. 

2. A vaginal discharge that is acid in reaction. 

3. Inflammation or any diseased condition of the 
inside of the uterus. This is the most common cause of 
sterility. 



68 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

4. Inflammation of the Fallopian tubes. Conception 
is frequently prevented by a surprisingly slight abnormal 
condition of the tubes. 

5. Displaced ovaries or ones bound down by adhe- 
sions. Any ovarian inflammation is apt to prevent the 
rupture of the Graafian follicles and is usually attended 
with sterility. 

General Causes. In some cases the pelvic organs 
may be normal, yet a Avoman cannot become pregnant on 
account of great obesity. Those Avho accumulate fat rap- 
idly before or just after marriage seldom have children, 
although some fleshy w^omen give birth to one or two. 
Women who are anaemic (lack blood), or who have kid- 
ney trouble, consumption, cancer, and syphilis are not 
likely to conceive. It is said women who masturbate are 
often sterile. 

CAUSE OF STERILITY IN MAN. 

The wife is not always at fault. The husband whose 
semen is without spermatozoa is sterile. He may infect 
his wife with gonorrhoea or syphilis — specific diseases 
which may lead to inflammation of the uterus and tubes. 
If she is sterile he is indirectly responsible. The husband 
may not be able to properly perform the act of copulation 
or he may have a scanty secretion of seminal fluid. When 
we consider these causes of sterility in man Ave know him 



STERILITY 69 

to be responsible for about one in four of all childless 
marriages. 

REMARKS. 

To correct this condition the husband must be thor- 
oughly examined as well as the wife, as the treatment is 
based upon the removal of any local or general cause 
which may be present. In many cases, when the cause is 
known and removed, the physician wlio treats the case 
cannot promise with certainty that pregnancy will fol- 
low. Again pregnancy may occur in cases under the 
most extraordinary circumstances at an early age, and 
many cases are reported where women who married never 
conceived until late in life. As a rule women meiistruate 
but once after marriage before they become pregnant, yet 
a perfectly healthy woman may be married several months 
before conception occurs ; so we cannot speak positively 
one way or the other. The patient should decide if she 
wishes to be operated upon, or take treatments to relieve 
the abnormal or diseased condition. Many times a dilata- 
tion and a currettage of the uterus, a simple operation 
devoid of all danger, will act like magic. The good results 
more than compensate for the temporary inconvenience. 
To operate upon the tubes is a more serious matter as the 
abdomen must be opened. It lies with the patient to de- 
cide whether she wishes to take the risk in order to be- 
come a mother. 



CHAPTER VIll. 

ABORTION, MISCARRIAGE, AND PREMATURE 

BIRTH. 

Definition: — Abortion is defined as the casting off of 
the product of conception before the end of the fourth 
month of pregnancy,, Between the end of tlie fourth and 
seventh month it is called a miscarriage. After that time 
it is best termed premature birth as tliere is a possibility 
of the child living if it is born after the seventli month. 

CAUSES. 

Anything that. will cause the death of the foetus, a 
degeneration of the membranes of conception, or an im- 
paired blood supply to the decidua may produce abortion. 
The following conditions will cause expulsion of the 
foetus : 

1. Diseases of the heart, kidneys, liver and lungs, 
due to imperfect blood. 

2. The use of poisonous drugs, illuminating gas, or 
similar substances. 

3. Changes in the placenta due to syphilis. 

4. Diseased condition of the decidua due perhaps to 



ABORTION AND MISCARRIAGE 71 

a previous inflammation of the lining membrane of the 
uterus. 

5. Inflammation of the tubes and ovaries. 

6. Displacement of the uterus. 

HOW ABORTION OCCURS. 

After the foetus dies, the blood supply of the decidua 
, changes, the tissues which form the product of concep- 
tion degenerate, the ovum becomes detached from the 
uterine wall, and the mass acts as a foreign body. Uterine 
Fig. 50. After that time, as a rule, the foetus is ex- 
pelled, — both membranes and decidua. 

The spontaneous expulsion of the ovum may occur 
at any period of pregnancy. When it occurs before the 
afterbirth forms, the entire ovum may come away intact, 
Fig. 50. After that time, as a rule, the foetus is ex- 
pelled flrst and the placenta and membranes follow after 
a longer or shorter period. Sometimes only the foetus and 
sac containing it (the chorion with villi attached) comes 
away, leaving the decidua in the uterus, Fig. 51. 

In many instances the process of abortion occurs very 
slowly, and in this case the blood becomes clotted be- 
tween the ovum and the decidua. The blood clots sur- 
round the ovum and it is passed off in this form resem- 
bling a blood clot, in whose center is a small cavity filled 
with fluid and lined with a smooth membrane (the am- 



72 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

nion). The umbilical cord hangs from one point in the 
sac while the other end is attached to a degenerated foetns. 

SYMPTOMS. 

Abortion is usually preceded by certain symptoms. 
Those which need special consideration arc chills, hem- 
orrhages, pain, and vomiting. 

1. Chills. Just before a woman lins nn a])ortion she 
genei'Mlly lias one or more chills. 




Fig-. 50 — Showing- an early abortion. Tho decidna and foetus de- 
generated. (Williams' Obstetrics.) 

2. Hemorrhage. The loss of blood, no matter how 
slight, during the first months of pregnancy should be 
regarded with suspicion. It generally indicates a diseased 
condition of the endometrium or that the placenta is not 
attached in its normal position. When the hemorrhage is 
due to the increase of blood in the decidua it is a dirty 
brown color; when it comes from the placenta it is more 
profuse and a bright red. The bleeding may continue for 



ABORTION AND MISCARRIAGE 



73 



days or weeks before abortion takes place, or the ovum 

may be expelled immediately after the hemorrhage begins. 

3. Pain. After the process of abortion has gone on 




Fig. 51 — A pregnant uterus and ovum of five weeks, u — uterine cav- 
ity; g, s, and r — the decidua; ch — chorion with the villi; e — foetus 
in a close fitting- amnion; m — muscular wall of the uterus. 
(Garrigues' Text-book of Obstetrics.) 



for some time, pains begin. They are of a bearing-down 
nature and increase in frequency and severity as the uter- 



74 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

ine contractions increase in force. 

4. Vomiting. Vomiting is not always present but it 
occurs in a great many cases. 

THREATENED ABORTION. 

When a pregnant woman begins to flow and have 
pains in the back and lower abdomen, she will probably 
have an abortion. 

IMMINENT ABORTION. 

When the flow is very profuse abortion is imminent, 
but even then it may sul)side and pregnancy go on to 
full term without interruption. 

INEVITABLE ABORTION. 

When the membrane ruptures and the liquor amnii 
escapes it is certain that abortion will take place and 
cannot be prevented. 

COMPLETE ABORTION. 

In this case the ovum is expelled intact (Pig. 50), 
from the uterus and no membrane retained; it is then 
called complete. 

INCOMPLETE ABORTION. 

When the membranes rupture and the liquor amnii 
escapes and the foetus alone is expelled, leaving the pla- 
centa and membranes in the uterus, it is known as incom- 



ABOKTIOX AND MISCARRIAGE 75 

plete abortion. In such cases the hemorrhage continues 
until the uterus expels the retained placenta. When this 
occurs both hemorrhage and pain stop and the uterus 
contracts and in a short time resumes its natural size. 

DANGERS OF ABORTION. 

■ The two great immediate dangers are hemorrhage and 
blood poisoning. Women are in the habit of considering 
an abortion or miscarriage a very trivial affair, while 
in reality it is very serious and demands the best medical 
attention. Women often suffer for their foolhardiness 
and neglect. When one is pregnant and has any symptoms 
of an abortion she should go to bed and call her physician 
at once to avoid complications and if possible prevent the 
expulsion. The same care and the same scientific treat- 
ment are needed in this class of cases as in a confinement. 
Xo civilized woman would think of giving birth to a child 
one day and getting up the next, but itis not uncommon 
for a woman to have an incomplete abortion and be up 
going about her daily duties. The retained decidua and 
afterbirth decompose, and blood poison is the result. Here 
let us say a word about Criminal Abortion. You will 
understand, we trust, that this applies to a class of cases 
for which we have no better term. The practice of crim- 
inal abortion by charlatans is common in this country 
and is condemned by the medical profession. Women 



76 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

often perform an abortion on themselves by introducing 
something into the uterus. They generally use a stiff 
catheter, lead pencil, slate pencil, or elm tents, — in fact 
almost anything that will open the uterus. They often 
take drugs that some would-be friend recommends, or of 
which they have read, in order to cause the expulsion of 
the ovum. It is estimated that in the United States over 
one million children are killed in the uterus every year. 
Many women do not regard abortion as a great crime and 
think little of its danger to health and life. Figs. 52 and 
53 show well the result and we wish every woman could be 
taught to realize the seriousness of such practice. Stop 
it, should be their Avatchword. 

THE CONSEQUENCE OF ABORTION. 

It is an unfortunate fact that a vast iiuiiil)cr of women 
are invalids as a result of abortions. If they have l)loo(l 
poison and recover, the pelvic organs are generally left in 
a weakened condition. Abscesses often form back of the 
uterus, or about the tubes or ovaries. Putrid infection in 
the uterus from retained membranes may cause lockjaw, — • 
the poison being transferred to the nerve center. Some- 
times the mind becomes involved and chronic melan- 
cholia is the result, but the attack is not so severe as when 
it follows labor at full term. 

The various joints of the body may become in- 



ABOETIOX AND illSCARRIAGE 



77 




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CO© 

*^ = ^ 

X o ® 

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^ arf 
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02 ;^ '■'' 

•^ a o 
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Sal 

be 

5 



78 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 




V 



y 



"^jN^r^ 



ABORTION AND MISCARRIAGE 79 

flamed and pus may form. We were once called in con- 
sultation to see a patient who gave a history of a secret 
abortion. The ankle of the left leg was greatly enlarged, 
very red and extremely painful. The abortion had caused 
pus to form in the joint. 

Do not use the toilet during an abortion as the gas 
from the sewer has been known to cause blood poison. 

In dismissing this subject we desire to say that if the 
reader is ever so unfortunate as to have an abortion, we 
trust she will immediately consult a physician. The best 
of care is necessary, for even under the most scientific 
management the results are frequently disastrous. 




CHAPTER IX. 

THE MENOPAUSE 

or 
CHANGE OF LIFE. 

Definition: — The iiienof)ause is the period in a wom- 
an's life Avhen menstruation ceases, and, as a rule, she 
does not become pregnant. It comes on and ends grad- 
ually, often lasting two or three years. It causes consid- 
erable mental disturl)ance; at the same time both general 
and local physical changes occur. 

TIME. 

The menopause generally occurs between the age of 
forty-five and fifty; menstruation l)ecomes irregular, less 
in amount, and finally ceases altogether. As a rule, Avom- 
en who begin to menstruate early in life have the meno- 
pause later than those who begin to menstruate after six- 
teen years of age. Climate and certain other conditions 
have their influence. We make the following classifica- 
tions : 

1. THE MENOPAUSE OCCURS EARLY IN LIFE. 
(a) in cold climates, (b) in fat Avomen, (c) in hard-work- 
ing women, (d) in sterile women or those who have never 



CHANGE OF LIFE 81 

had any children, (e) in women who have had children 
rapidly early in life, (f) from sudden fear or grief, (g) 
when the tubes and ovaries have been removed, (h) in 
cases where the patient has had any severe illness. 

2. THE MENOPAUSE OCCURS LATE IN LIFE. 

(a) in hot climates, (b) in slender women, (c) in the rich 
and indolent classes, (d) when the tubes, ovaries, and 
uterus are inflamed or diseased. In the latter case the 
flow may continue indefinitely. Heredity plays an im- 
portant part. The daughter will generally have the 
change at the same age as the mother. 

CHANGES AND CONDITIONS THAT OCCUR DURING 
THE MENOPAUSE. 

The uterus and ovaries become small and hard and 
usually the breasts decrease in size. If they become larger 
it is due to an increase of fat. Cancer often appears on 
the breast and uterus during the menopause. The ner- 
vous system receives a severe shock, and it is not uncom- 
mon for women to go insane. There are frequent rushes 
of blood to the head which causes a feeling of great heat, 
headache, dizziness, a red face, and restless sleep accom- 
panied by dreams. 

If there is any chronic disease affecting the stomach, 
bowels, liver, or kidneys they are much worse during the 



82 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

menopause. Women while passing through this stage of 
life perspire very much and the skin often has an itch- 
ing, burning or smarting sensation of the most distressing 
nature. Temper is subject to radical changes, the sexual 
appetite is increased and leucorrhoea is often present. 
The heart often feels weak or its action may be greatly 
increased. In this case patients faint easily and have 
difficulty in breathing. 

Any of the above symptoms or a combination of them 
appear in a woman who is having the change, and last for 
a week at a time. The attacks (except cancer and insan- 
ity) begin and disai)pear gradually. 

As a rule the whole appearance of the woman changes 
at the menopause. Most women increase in size and 
weight and become very stout, others may U)se flesh. 

GENERAL REMARKS. 

While the menopause is a normal condition and nuist 
occur in every woman's life, it is not free from danger of 
an alarming nature. Women who previously enjoyeil 
fairly good health may have a complete mental and 
physical break-down. No woman can afiford to enter this 
critical period in life in a diseased or weakened condi- 
tion. She should have pleasant surroundings and occupy 
the mind with useful work. The pelvic organs should be 
in a normal condition, any tears in the cervix should be 



CHANGE OF LIFE 83 

repaired so as to prevent cancer. If there is any disease 
of the uterus, tubes or ovaries it should be cured before the 
menopause begins ; this will greatly reduce the nervous 
strain. 

After a woman has prepared for such a crisis she 
should keep her system in the very best condition by 
paying special attention to hygiene. We suggest the fol- 
lowing regulations : 

1. Keep the bowels and kidneys active with aper- 
ient waters or a little bicarbonate of soda in a half glass 
of water three times a day. Often an enema of plain 
water with a little glycerine added is beneficial for the 
bowels. 

2. A cold sponge bath followed by rubbing the skin 
with a Turkish towel is pleasant and invigorating and 
should be taken in the morning, but not when men- 
struating. 

3. Congestion of the head is often relieved by tak- 
ing hot foot baths at night. 

4. A warm (not hot) bath two or three times a week 
will keep the skin and nerves in a good condition. 

5. The diet for women who become fleshy and 
stout should be composed of fish, meat, green vegetables, 
and fruit. Avoid cereals, sugar, milk, and beer. Do not 
drink too much water. 

6. The diet for women who lose flesh must consist of 



84 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

fat producing food, such as chocolate, milk in large quan- 
ties if they can digest it, plenty of cereals, and any kind 
of meat. Either fleshy or thin women should use weak 
tea or coffee. 

7. During the menopause a sudden stopping of the 
flow is, as a rule, very dangerous. Great care must be 
taken while the woman is menstruating that the skin does 
not become chilled, nor must she take a cold bath or wash 
the genitals with cold water, or get the feet wet. 

8. Avoid all excitement in any form. Too frequent 
sexual intercourse will cause the pelvic organs to be- 
come congested. 



CHAPTER X. 
WOMAN AND HER AILMENTS. 

If we wish to educate the yoiiug women, mothers and 
wives, in such a manner that they may protect their 
health and happiness, we can do nothing better than go 
into detail about the sources of those female diseases 
which a woman can prevent. A woman has no control 
over Hereditary and Congenital influences. It has been 
stated in a previous chapter that the condition existing in 
the mother may develop in the daughter at the same age 
and in the same way. and affect her as it did the mother. 
It will be noticed that an inherited tendency to consump- 
tion or cancer is a predisposing cause of the diseases. If a 
woman should have smallpox, measles, scarlet fever, or 
any disease while pregnant, it would interfere with the 
development of the child to such an extent that the pelvic 
organs would be arrested in their normal growth, making 
the daughter susceptible to certain fundamental and or- 
ganic disorders. 

A woman who is physically weak will generally have 
painful menstruation^ displacement of the uterus, and 
leucorrhoeal discharges; again, congenital influences, 
4a— 



86 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



when the pelvic organs are not properly formed, will re- 
sult in various diseased conditions, thus : the uterus may 
be double, two-horned, one-horned, or may develop but 
very little after birth. A uterus of this order is called an 
infantile uterus, Figs. 54-55-56-57-58-59-60. There may 




Fig-. 54 — Showing a double uterus, two perfect bodies with only 
one tube and ovary for each uterus. (Ashton's Practice of 
Gynecology.) 

be some abnormal condition of the tubes, one or both may 
be defective. Cases are recorded where one or both tubes 
were absent. The tube may be double. Fig. 59, or it may 
have two openings. Fig. 60. 

The ovaries as well as the uterus and tubes may not 
be properly developed and it is not uncommon to find this 
condition of the ovaries when there is a one-horned uterus 
or an absent Fallopian tube. 



WOMAN'S AILMENTS 



87 




Fig". 55 — Showing- a two horned uterus. Notice in this illustration 
there is only one cervix, while there are two in Fig. 54. (Ash- 
ton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

When we note the relation of the nterus, tubes, and 
ovaries with the abdominal cavity and its contents, and 




Fig. 56 — Showing a cross section of a two horned uterus as illus- 
trated in Fig. 55. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 



88 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

the fact that there is a direct external communication 
with this cavity through the Fallopian tubes, it gives us 
the key to the important factors in the causes of dis- 
eases peculiar to woman. For example, gonorrhoeal, 




Fig. 57 — Showing a sectional view of a one horned uterus. (Ash- 
ton's Practice of Gynecology.) 




Fig. 58 — Showing an infantile uterus that did not develop. (Ashton's 
Practice of Gynecology.) 

tubercular, and other forms of infection may be deposited 
upon the vulva, in the vagina, or in the uterus and pass 



WOMAN'S AILMENTS 



89 



directly through the Fallopian tube into the general ab- 
dominal cavity, causing an inflammatory condition which 




Fi^. 59 — Showing- accessory fallopian tubes. (Ashton's Practice of 
Gynecology.) 




Fig. 60 — Showing an abnormal condition of a fallopian tube with 
two openings. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

produces many chronic subjective symptoms and tlie de- 
struction of the functional activity of the pelvic organs. 



90 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

"We will now consider those causes that produce 
female diseases over which the woman has more or les^ 
control and which she can prevent if she takes the proper 
precautions. 

EDUCATION. 

Mothers are too careless in regard to the manner in 
which they allow their daughters to be educated. Our 
modern system of education has a decidedly injurious ef- 
fect upon the general and sexual strength of women. The 
close application to study in early youth concentrates the 
nervous energy in the brain and deprives the uterus and 
ovaries of their share at the time wlien these organs are 
undergoing an enormous development and preparing for 
the functions of womanhood and motherhood. Too little 
attention is paid to the physical development of girls just 
before, during, and after puberty. The general health is 
often impaired in the effort of parents to give their young 
girls a polished education. They pay no attention to reg- 
ulating the amount or character of mental work to suit 
the health and temperament of the individual. A young 
girl's nature demands physical and mental rest. Goodell, 
in his splendid work, says, ^'In one word, it is to the pres- 
ent cramming and high-pressure system of education, to- 
gether with its environment, that I attribute much of the 
menstrual derangements, the sterility, the absence of 
normal sexual conditions, the often lingering convales- 



WOMAN'S AILMENTS 91 

cence from the first labor, which is frequently the only one, 
and the very common inability to suckle their offspring. 
From this cause come most of my unmarried patients with 
nervous prostration and various uterine and ovarian symp- 
toms, — unmarried often because they are not Avell enough 
to wed. If woman is to be thus stunted and deformed 
to meet the ambitious intellectual demands of the day, if 
her health must be sacrified upon the altar of her educa- 
tion, the time may come when, to renew the wornout stock 
of this Republic, it will be needful for our young men to 
make matrimonial excursions to lands where educational 
theories are unknown." 

Everything should be done to develop the physical 
being of every girl if she is desired to enjoy good health. 
We request all mothers not to overdevelop the mental 
faculties of their daughters at the expense of proper 
physical development. In other words give them time to 
grow into true and perfect types of womanhood. 

SOCIAL CONDITIONS. 

Social gatherings beginning at a time when the girl 
should be at rest in bed have a very bad effect upon the 
nervous system, causing at times derangements of and 
great suffering in the pelvic organs that are not felt by 
those leading a more natural life. There is a marked 
difference between working women and women of the 



92 WOMAN ^S SECRETS 

higher grade of society as to the frequency of various pel- 
vic diseases. The lower class has not the skillful medical 
attention during childbirth, and many cases of blood 
poison and torn conditions of the vaginal outlet and 
uterus are left unrepaired, while those living in the higher 
walks are able to afford the best attention. Yet their 
nervous condition has lowered their vitality to such an 
extent that they would be invalids if they received the 
same treatment as the poorer classes. 

We often notice the poor women, who suffer with 
some pelvic trouble to which th<^y pay but very little 
attention raising large families. 

We are often asked, as physicians, why women are 
so delicate nowadays. We answer this question by say- 
ing, ^^The women of today have not the perfect physique 
that they had years ago and this is due to the mode of 
living and the improper care that the young girls are 
receiving at this time." 

OCCUPATION. 

This has its influence in causing pelvic diseases. 
Women who work in stores, factories, restaurants, and 
laundries, and are compelled to stand on the feet for hours 
at a time often suffer from uterine displacements. Espe- 
cially is this true if they have given birth to one or two 
children. Women who run sewing machines are subject 



WOMAN ^S AILMENTS 93 

to pelvic congestion, and the various occupations in which 
lifting is required cause a backward displacement and a 
prolapsed condition of the uterus. AYomen should guard 
against certain occupations which have a tendency to 
produce any of these conditions. 

CIVILIZATION. 

In women of the savage tribes the muscles have a 
great power of resistance. In these races the endurance 
of men and women is equal. As we ascend in the scale of 
intelligence and civilization, changing the outdoor life 
for the artificial indoor one, we find that among highly 
civilized peoples men have much more strength than 
women. Among savage races women receive very little 

injury to the soft parts of the reproductive organs dur- 
ing labor. In other words, they are seldom torn, as the 
children have small heads and consequently injuries and 
sickness because of confinement seldom, if ever, occur. 

CARE DURING MENSTRUATION. 

Care during menstruation has been quite thoroughly 
discussed in a previous chapter, but it might be well to 
note that the civilized woman, unlike her savage sister, 
does not realize the importance of physical and mental 
rest during the menstrual period. Many pelvic disorders 
are directly traceable to neglect, carelessness and impru- 



94 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

dence upon her part. The average American woman sub- 
jects herself to all kinds of exposures during her periods. 
Often if menstruation interferes with her plans, she will 
check it with a cold vaginal douche or by taking a cold 
bath. Again, young girls, just beginning to menstruate 
are not kept at home during the flow, but are sent to 
school as usual and kept hard at work. This alone gives 
rise to many kinds of trouble. Many women become in- 
valids by simply neglecting common sense precautions, 
because they will pay no attention to, — sometimes abso- 
lutely ignoring the demands of nature. 

CONSTIPATION. 

Constipation is the cause of many diseases peculiar 
to women. Constipated bowels iiit(M"f(M'(^ with circulation 
and produce congestion of the uterus and its appendages, 
— perhaps displacements Avhich result in various uterine 
troubles. Absorption of the decomposed material in the 
bowels produces impure blood and destroys the general 
vitality of the system, manifesting itself by aches, neural- 
gic pains, and general indisposition. It often interferes 
with the heart's action and proper breathing. Irregular- 
ity in emptying the bladder has bad effects w^hich are not, 
however, as serious as those of constipation. This subject 
is discussed in Chapter XVIII and should be carefully 
studied. 



WOMAN'S AILMENTS 95 

EXERCISE. 

Women often neglect to keep the muscular system arid 
the organs of the body in a normal condition. Young 
women possibly take more exercise in the way of outdoor 
sports than older women, and the latter possibly suffer 
more from irregular menstruation, neuralgic pains, and 
loss of appetite than the younger class. The importance of 
gymnasium work and outdoor exercise for every woman 
cannot be overestimated. Every case should be governed 
according to the requirements of the individual, as over- 
exercise or overwork is also apt to be followed by evil 
results. It hardly seems necessary to repeat the fact that 
women should not exercise during menstruation; neither 
should they dance or engage in either outdoor or indoor 
sports when nature demands mental and bodily rest. 
]\Iany women are so situated that they cannot take out- 
door exercise, but we have arranged for a series of indoor 
exercises that every woman should follow according 
to directions given in Chapter XXL 

FOOD. 

The health of the entire body depends largely upon 
the character of the food and the manner in which it is 
assimilated. Errors in the selection of diet are among 
the frequent causes of female diseases. A perfect develop- 
ment and normal condition of the pelvic organs cannot 



96 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

occur when a patient has poor blood or an exhausted ner- 
vous system. Women suffer from many sorts of pelvic 
troubles, chronic dyspepsia and constipation as a result 
of improper dieting. We have devoted one chapter to 
this subject and trust you will find it worthy of your 
consideration. 

The wine drinking and overfeeding of women in our 
large cities, frequent visits to cafes after theatres and the 
indulgences of fashionable society have a marked intiu- 
ence upon the diseases of the female pelvis. Late dinners 
composed of drinks and indigestible foods have no place 
in the category of that which goes to make up a perfect 
body, and consequently women who indulge in them, 
sooner or later suffer from an undermined constitution 
and pelvic diseases. 

DRESS. 

When we consider the manner in which women dress, 
we find that the body is not properly protected from cold 
and dampness, that there is more or less constriction of 
the waist and at the same time traction upon the abdom- 
inal muscles. The surface of the skin becomes chilled, 
driving the blood to the internal parts and the pelvic 
organs become congested. Especially is this true during 
menstruation when the i:)arts are naturally gorged with 
blood. Thin shoes with high heels, under-garments made 
so as to leave the neck, chest, arms, and lower extremities 



WOMAN'S AILMENTS 



97 



unprotected, all produce serious results. Women who 
frequently wear light low-necked evening gowns suffer 
from pelvic disorders through exposure and sudden 
changes of temperature. The constriction of the abdom- 
inal muscles by tight lacing interferes with breathing, the 




Fig-. 61 — Showing- the results of a neglected tear at the opening 
of the vagina during childbirth. The rectum and bladder walls 
are protruding. (Gilliam's Practical Gynecology, copyright F. 
A, Davis Company.) 

circulation of the liver, the position of the heart, the up 
and down movements of the abdomen and pelvic organs 
which are so essential to the normal action of the bowels 
and the circulation of the pelvis. Naturally the normal 
functions of all the organs are destroyed, as the uterus 



98 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



and its appendages are crowded out of their normal posi- 
tion. While tight lacing is detrimental to the health of 
every woman, we do not condemn the wearing of corsets 
if they are properly made and applied, except by women 
whose occupation requires them to bend forward when in 




Fig 62 — Showing how the parts look after they have been repaired 
by surgical operation. A neglected case. (Ashton's Practice of 
Gynecology.) 



a sitting position. Under such circumstances the corsets 
exert an injurious pressure upon the abdomen and crowd 
down the pelvic organs. 



WOMAN'S AILMENTS 



99 



CHILDBIRTH. 

Injuries resulting from labor are frequently the cause 
of pelvic diseases. Such tears destroy the strength of the 
support of the uterus and allow everything to sag down in 



/ /// 




Fig. 63 — Showing- a recent tear extending up the vagina. Note the 
method of repair with the stitches in place. (Williams' Ob- 
stetrics.) 

the vagina until the bladder and rectum often protrude, 
as illustrated in Fig. 61. Such lacerations prevent the 
proper contraction of the uterus and result in inflamma- 



100 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



tion and displacements, and cases of long standing are 
often the cause of various diseased conditions. Any in- 
jury should be properly repaired as shown in Fig. 62. 
Tears of the cervix should be repaired as illustrated in 




Pig-. 64 — Same as Fig. 63 with the stitches tied, 
stetrics.) 



(Williams' Ob- 



Chapter I. The time to repair tears is when they occur. 
Pigs. 63 and 64 illustrate how easily this is accomplished 
if performed at the time of the confinement. 



WOMAN'S AILMENTS 



101 



Neglect in giving the proper treatment during and 
after confinement often results in displacement of the 
uterus to such an extent that the patient becomes an 
invalid. "When the uterus is displaced backwards, Fig. 
65, standing or walking is very difficult, sometimes impos- 




Fig. 65 — Showing- a backward displacement of the uterus. Notice 
how the body of uterus is pressing against the rectum. (Gil- 
liam's Text-book of Practical Gynecology, copyright F. A. Da- 
vis Company.) 



sible. There is backache, headache, and often a burning 
sensation at the nape of the neck. The bowels become 
constipated, which is due to pressure upon the rectum. 
The bladder ofttimes is irritated and the patient has but 



102 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



little control of the urine. Profuse leucorrhoea (whites) 
arises. Menstruation is profuse and painful. The cure 
for this condition as a rule is an operation. Sometimes 
treatments, uterine supports, and the knee-chest position. 
Pig. 66, will give temporary relief. If your physician 




Fig. 66 — Showing the correct attitude for taking tlie knee-chest posi- 
tion. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

orders you to take this exercise, follow these directions: 
Incline the body forward until the breasts rest upon the 
table or bed; turn the head to one side; let the arms ex- 
tend over the head or at the sides. An important point 
is to have the thighs straight up and down. The best 
time to take this exercise is just before retiring. You 
should stay in this position five to fifteen minutes and im- 
mediately lie down. Do not stand on the feet again. This 



WOMAN'S AILMENTS 103 

position takes all the weight off the uterus by allowing it 
to drop away from the back, and for the time being often 
gives great relief. 

When the uterus is tipped forward and rests upon the 
bladder. Fig. 67, it causes painful menstruation, sterility, 
and nervousness. The menstrual flow is generally clotty 
and is followed by a profuse leucorrhoea. Surgical inter- 




Fig-. 67 — Showing- a forward displacement of the uterus. Note In 
this case how the uterus is resting on the bladder. (Gilliam's 
Text-book of Practical Gynecology, copyright F. A. Davis Com- 
pany.) 

ference is sometimes necessary to eft'ect a cure. 

The longer displacements of the uterus remain Avith- 
out treatments, the more difficult they are to cure. The 
effect upon the general health is very severe. The rem- 



104 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

edy must often be a major surgical operation. Fig. 68 
illustrates a case of seven years' duration. When we oper- 
ated upon the patient we found the uterus grown fast to 
the back. It had become infected and the inflammation 
extended to the tubes and ovaries. An abscess formed, — 
one of the kind commonly called a ''pus tube." It con- 
tinually discharged through the uterus and it so under- 
mined the patient's health that she was a semi-invalid. 
The only way to effect a euro was a surgical operation. 
This case is mentioned only to i-omind the reader how im- 
portant it is to keep the pelvic organs in a normal con- 
dition. 

In conclusion, we might mention that marriage, abor- 
tions, and venereal diseases all have their influence, and 
each subject is fnlly considered under an appropriate 
chapter. 





WOMAN'S AILMENTS 



105 




Fig. 68 — Showing- tlie exact size of a fallopian tube and ovary at 
the time of operation. Both were filled with pus. (The author's 
case.) 



CHAPTER XL 

SYPHILIS. 

Definition. — Syphilis is known as a l)lood disease, 
characterized by a sore (chancre is the medical term), 
which is the first appearance of the syphilitic poison. 
The poison of syphilis enters the system and canses the 
chancre to form, and every case of syphilis contracted 
after birth must have a chancre which shows the place 
where the poison entei-ed the system, it is a chronic 
disease. The poison entei's the 1)1()()(1, canses a copper- 
colored rash to form on the body, and as the disease ad- 
vances there is some throat trouble. The rash and sore 
throat occur after the chancre ti'ets well. 

HOW A WOMAN BECOMES INFECTED WITH 
SYPHILIS. 

Two conditions are necessary in oi'der to become 
inoculated with syphilis. First, there must be an 
abrasion (a break in the skin) at the point where the 
infection takes place. Second, the secretions containing 
the syphilitic poison must come in contact with the 
abrasion of the skin. These secretions are found in the 
discharge from a chancre in another person, mucous 
patches in the mouth, or from a syphilitic sore on any 



SYPHILIS 107 

part of the body. A healthy woman may have connection 
with a man that has a chancre on his penis and she will 
not get syphilis if there are no broken places in the skin 
on the vulva or in the vagina. She may become pregnant 
and the child will be infected from the syphilitic father 
and as it grows in the nterns the poison passes from the 




Fig'. 69 — Showing' a sypliilitic sore on the lip. 

child to the mother through the afterbirth. In this case 
neither the mother or the child has a chancre. 

A woman may be infected by personal contact by 
having connection or kissing. A wet nurse may be in- 
fected by a syphilitic child. Any article, as a spoon, 
drinking cup, dental or surgical instruments, undercloth- 
ing, or a bathing suit that has been infected with poison 
from syphilitic lesions of other persons will convey 
syphilis. 



108 WOMAN'S SECKETS 

LOCATION AND CHARACTER OF THE CHANCRE. 

The sore or chancre is always located at the point 
of infection. Chancres appear most frequently on the 
genitals, but may be on the lips, tongue, breast, or 
fingers. Figs. 69 and 70. The chancre of syphilis is 
very hard and heals very slowly without leaving a scar. 
It is not painful. It develops in about three weeks after 
infection takes i)]ace. There is only one sore; if more. 




Fig. 70 — Showing a syphilitic sore on the cervix. 

they all begin at the same time. The discharge is very 
scanty. 

COURSE OF THE DISEASE. 

In about three or four weeks after the poison enters 
the broken place on the skin a chancre appears at that 
point, infection slowly works its way into the blood and 
it becomes saturated with the poison. When this occurs 
a rash appears on the skin. Fig. 71, and remains from 
four to six weeks, then clears up, leaving copper-colored 



SYPHILIS 



1C9 



spots. No symptoms are noticed until the poison Avhich 
is in the system increases and causes a relapse to occur, 
the blood being again saturated with the- infection. These 
relapses occur from four to six months during the course 




Fig. 71 — Showing a syphiUtic rash on the body three weeks after 
the appearance of the chancre. 

of the disease. When cases are under treatment relapses 
do not usually occur after the first year. After a period 
of many years with no appearance of the disease, new 
symptoms may again develop. As a rule this late appear- 
ance of the disease is very serious and causes great de- 
struction of tissue. 
5— 



110 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

A regular course of syphilis is divided into three 
stages : 

First Stage. This includes the time from the mo- 
ment the poison enters the system until the rash appears 
and there is a general outbreak of the symptoms (nuicous 
patches, loss of hair, etc.). This period lasts from three 
to four months. The chancre is formed at the end of 
three weeks after the infection occurs nnd is generally 
cured by the time the general symptoms occur. During 
the first stage there is nothing to indicate that a i^ersoii 
has syphilis. 

Second Stage. This stage begins when the rash and 
sore throat and mucous patches appear and the hair also 
comes out. At times these conditions improve, then they 
gee Avorse and so on during the first year of the disease. 

Third Stage. Tnmors due to syphilis form at this 
stage; they may occur in any organ or part of th(^ body 
and they come on after the second stage has subsided 
for some time. However, the third stage may never occur 
if the patient has had treatment from the beginning of 
the disease. 

HOW SYPHILIS ACTS UPON THE SYSTEM DURING 
SECOND STAGE. 

In the second stage syphilis causes — 

1. Fever; more in weak patients than strong ones. 



SYPHILIS 111 

2. More or less pain in the regions of the arms, legs, 
and ribs, at night. 

3. Disease of the liver, which may give rise to yellow 
jaundice. 

4. Slight inflammation of the kidneys. 

5. Sore patches on the mucous membrane of the 
mouth, entrance to the vagina, etc. 

6. Falling of the hair to a greater or less degree. 

7. Rash on the skin, which varies in different indi- 
viduals. It is not so marked in women as men. 

SPECIAL OONSroERATIONS. 

If a person who has consumption, or one who is 
weakened from any disease, contracts syphilis, he will 
have a rapid breakdown of tissue and the case will 
terminate fatally in a very short time. Death may result 
from destruction of some vital organ. 

If a case of syphilis is not treated and the patient is 
robust and can stand the drain on the system for two 
years, such a patient may not die, but will be in a weak 
condition and possibly an invalid for life. 

If a person has syphilis once he will not contract it 
again. The attack makes the patient immune as in all 
other infectious diseases. 

If the father and mother both have syphilis, the 
child will nearly always suffer from a serious type of 



112 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

the disease. Death is the usual result. If the mother 
has syphilis and the father is healthy, the child is almost 
sure to be infected. If the father has syphilis and the 
mother is healthy, the child may escape infection. 

If a healthy mother becomes pregnant with a syphi- 
litic child (infected by the father) it will affect the 
mother in one of three ways : 

1. The mother does not l)ecome infected, nor is she 
immune from syphilis; she may take it from nursing her 
child or from other sources. 

2. The poison may pass throujih the afterbirth 
directly into the mother's blood and in tliis way the mother 
is infected. This is known as ''syphilis by conception.'' 

3. In this class of cases the mother does not become 
infected, but she becomes imnnine from syphilis and hei* 
child cannot infect her, nor will she acquire the disease 
in any other way. 

If pregnancy takes place in a syphilitic mother, gen- 
erally — 

The first pregnancy ends in an abortion about the 
second or third month. 

The second is a premature birth of a syphilitic child 
which dies. 

The third goes to full term, but the child at birth 
shows signs of the second stage of syphilis. 



SYPHILIS 113 

The fourth goes to full term and the child shows no 
signs of syphilis at birth, but they develop later. 

The fifth child is normal and remains healthy, has no 
signs of infection and is perfectly free from syphilis. 

The value of careful and efficient treatment cannot 
be overestimated. All syphilitic patients should place 
themselves under the care of a physician and continue the 
treatment for two years at least. Mild cases demand 
this ; severe ones require more time to effect a cure. 

SYPHILIS AND MARRIAGE. 

It is a difficult problem to state any time that it is 
safe for a syphilitic woman or man to get married, for 
when the disease is acquired there is no positive proof 
that the individual is free from it. 

We may conclude from the observations of the best 
physicians : 

1. That a woman or man with syphilis should not 
marry until four or five years after the date of the first 
infection. 

2. That no person with syphilis should ever get mar- 
ried unless he or she has been treated for at least two 
years. 

3. That he or she should not marrv if there are anv 



114 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

signs of the disease, no matter how long it may be since 
the first infection. 

4. That marriage should not be permitted until two 
years have elapsed since any signs of the disease could 
be detected. 




CHAPTER XII. 



GONORRHOEA. 



Definition. — Gonorrlioea is an acute specific, highly 
infections, catarrhal inflammation of the genitals. It 
spreads rapidly and often involves the vulva, vagina, 
urethra, uterus, tubes and ovaries. It is characterized by 
a discharge which contains pus of a slight greenish-yellow 
color, and the germs causing the disease. 

THE INFECTION. 

The vagina, vulva, and urethra may or may not be 
infected at the same time. Gonorrhoea has a tendency to 
spread rapidly and to attack not only all the regenerative 
organs, but the glands in the groin as well. The diseased 
glands often undergo suppuration and abscesses are 
formed. The tubes and ovaries and the membrane 
which lines the abdominal cavity may be involved. 
Gonorrhoea is caused by the Gonococcus of Neisser, Fig. 
72. It is from four to seven days after a woman becomes 
infected before she has any symptoms; in rare cases it 
may be as late as fourteen days. "Women are infected 
with gonorrhoea by sexual intercourse, by examination 
with infected instruments, or by the use of an infected 



116 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

douche tip. To say positively that a woman has gon- 
orrhoea, the discharge must be examined with a micro- 
scope to see if the gonococcus is present. 

ACUTE FORM. 

Gonorrhoea begins to spread as soon as any part be- 
comes infected. In favorable cases it does not affect the 
uterus, but the pelvic organs are so often involved that 
the disease is one of the most dangerous which attacks 






Fig. 72 — The Gonococc; germs which cause the inflammation. 

a woman. If the urethra is infected, which is usually 
the case, there is at first a light sticky discharge and 
stinging sensation on urinating. This will last a few 
days, then the discharge increases and the pain when 
urinating is more severe, the glands in the groins become 
enlarged, inflamed and tender to the touch. As the 
disease advances there is a feeling of fullness in the pelvis, 
backache, more or less stomach trouble and much nervous- 
ness. Exercise of any kind will make the condition worse. 
Under proper treatment and care the above symptoms 
subside in two or three weeks and the patient makes a 



GONORRHOEA 117 

complete recovery. If the inside of the uterus becomes 
involved and the tubes and ovaries become infected, the 
disease takes on the chronic form. 

CHRONIC GONORRHOEA. 

The acute symptoms subside and are generally re- 
placed by pains in sides, headache, a general tired feeling, 
itching of the vulva, perhaps chills and fever; the general 
health is more or less affected because of the drain upon 
the system, loss of sleep and mental worry over the local 
condition. Menstruation generally brings on the acute 
stage for the time being. This chronic form may last 
for months, the infection slowly acting upon the uterus, 
tubes, and ovaries, causing a discharge from the uterus 
as illustrated in Fig. 73, and putting the affected parts 
in such a diseased condition that they must often be re- 
moved by operation when they cannot be cured by treat- 
ments. 

REMARKS. 

Gonorrhoea is the cause of a large majority of those 
grave pelvic troubles which result in sterility, chronic 
invalidism, and often a loss of life. Chronic gonorrhoea 
is frequent in both sexes and the disease may remain 
quiet for years, but still retain its poAver to infect another 
person. Many young wives are infected by husbands who 
have not had gonorrhoea for months or years before mar- 
5a— 



118 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



riage and who are unconscious of any local trouble. No. 
man who has had gonorrhoea should get married until 
the gleety discharge has been absolutely cured. He 
should be deterred by the thought that he may make his 




t 



Fig-. 73 — Showing the discharge from a uterus which is infected 
with gonorrhoea. 



wife subject to incurable uterine catarrh and a chronic 
inflammation of the tubes and ovaries which makes a 
surgical operation. necessary, Fig. 68, Chapter X. 

If a woman is infected by a man who had gonorrhoea 
years before, there are no acute symptoms, but the chronic 



GONORRHOEA 119 

condition slowly develops. Sore eyes of a purulent nature 
in the children of a family always lead the physician to 
think of gonorrhoeal infection, as the germs of the disease 
can be carried to children on fingers, sponges, towels, etc. 
If a girl baby or child has gonorrhoea of the vulva or 
vagina the same diseased condition is generally found in 
the mother or other female members of the family. 

Gonorrhoeal infection of the vulva may occur as an 
epidemic among children living together in orphan asy- 
lums, boarding schools, or like institutions, although the 
hymen prevents infection of the vagina to some extent. 
Gonorrhoea occuring in a child as the result of rape or 
accidental infection may cause an arrest in the develop- 
ment of the genital organs. 

Women who become infected with gonorrhoea should 
have the best medical attention and not allow the disease 
to continue unchecked until the entire pelvic organs are 
affected. 

The patient is not cured if any gonococci can be found 
by repeated examination of the discharge with a micro- 
scope. 

This is an age of education for women and they are 
learning that ^^ Woman pays for the sins of man.'' Ten 
to twenty per cent, of the blindness in babies is due to 
gonorrhoea and syphilis. Fifty to ninety per cent, of 
the inflammatory diseases of the pelvis which lead to the 



120 WOMAN'S SECKETS 

operating table may be traced to the same source. More 
deaths are caused by gonorrhoea or syphilis than by 
smallpox, yellow fever, diphtheria, scarlet fever and 
measles combined. 

The legislature of Iowa at the present time is being 
prevailed upon by the women of the state to pass rigid 
laws regarding cases of gonorrhoea and syphilis. Each 
patient is to be isolated and quarantined. If every state 
in the Union would protect its women by stringent quar- 
antine acts, gonorrhoea and syphilis would soon be under 
control, if not altogether extinct. 




CHAPTER XIII. 

VENEREAL WARTS. 

A very common infection that is closely associated 

with gonorrhoea and syphilis is Venereal Warts, Fig. 74. 

They are generally located on the Yulva, but in some 

cases they are found abont the anus; also between the 

vulva and anus, and may extend up into the urethra and 

vagina. 

CAUSE. 

They are caused by some irritating discharge, gen- 
erally considered of a specific nature. Sometimes other 
conditions will cause them, such as continual irritation; 
ofttimes it is difficult to tell the real cause, as they occur 
when a woman has never had gonorrhoea or syphilis. 

REMARKS. 

When the warts are located in the urethra they cause 
painful urination. They are generally accompanied by 
an acid discharge which has a fetid odor and a tendency 
to spread the disease. If for any reason warts develop 
on the vulva, such a patient should consult a physician 
at once and have the proper medical or surgical treatment 
prescribed. If a woman becomes infected with such 
growths she should keep the parts clean and dry and wash 



122 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

out the vagina quite often. Hot applications are bene- 
ficial and should be applied in the form of cloths wrung 




Fig-. 74 — Showing- venereal warts of the vulva caused by gonorrhoea. 
(Gilliam's Practical Gynecology, copyright F. A. Davis Company.) 

out in hot water and placed on the vulva several times 
a day. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

LEUCORRHOEA. 

(The Whites) 

Definition. — The word leucorrhoea means a white 
flow and is used in medicine to designate any discharge 
from the genitals except blood. The laity calls the dis- 
charge ^^the whites." The genital tract (that part of 
the parturient canal extending from the top of the uterus 
to the external opening of the vagina), should be just 
moist enough to be soft and slippery, there being no dis- 
charge of any kind. Not even a drop of fluid should be 
visible. When a woman has leucorrhoea it is generally 
a symptom of some diseased condition, as leucorrhoea 
cannot be considered a disease in the true sense of the 
word. It is characterized by a white, yellow, green or 
brown discharge, or it may be colorless like the white of 
an egg, Fig. 75. 

CAUSE. 

Leucorrhoea is caused by any condition that lowers 
the general vitality of the system, as mental or physical 
fatigue, emotions, lack of nourishment, or too long nurs- 
ing of children by mothers. The discharge may be 



124 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



caused by various kinds of irritation, masturbation, ex- 
cessive intercourse, childbirth, and abortions. 

Gonorrhoea is also a cause of vaginal discharges and 
in this case the leucorrhoea is called specific. Any con- 
stitutional disease, such as consumption, fevers, rheuma- 




« 



Fig-. 75 — Showing a leucorrhoeal discharge from the cervix. (Modi- 
fied from Massey's Gynecology.) 

tism, or any local diseases of the pelvic organs will cause 
leucorrhoea — also displacements of the uterus. 

SYMPTOMS. 

Leucorrhoea is a drain on the system and women 



LEUCORRHOEA 125 

with a vaginal discharge complain of a general weakness, 
backache and neuralgia. Such patients often have an 
irritable bladder or some stomach trouble. They do not 
sleep well. They also suffer from the diseases which 
cause the discharge. 

TREATMENT. 

As leucorrhoea is generally a symptom of some un- 
derlying disease the treatment must be directed to the 
cause, and in severe cases a physician should be con- 
sulted. In. simple cases a hot vaginal douche (Chapter 
XV) may be taken in the morning and a medicated one 
at bed-time in the proportions of one or two teaspoonfuls 
of the following powder to a pint of water. Use at least 
two quarts of water. 

Copy this prescription and have it filled by your 
druggist : 

Powdered Alum 2 ounces 

Powdered Boracic Acid.-.. 2 ounces 

Powdered Sodium Bicarbonate...... 2 ounces 

Acid Carbolic 20 drops 

Oil Gaultheria 4 drops 

Mix the carbolic acid with the oil and add the pow- 
ders. Take the douche as directed in Chapter XV. No 
other treatment of any kind should be attempted by the 
woman herself. A patient who suffers from an excessive 
discharge from the vagina should consult a physician. 



CHAPTER XV. 

THE VAGINAL DOUCHE. 

The vaginal douche is a vahiable agent in the treat- 
ment of diseases of the pelvis and vagina. It is often 
ordered by the physician and frequently used by the 
patient, yet there are few women who understand how 
to obtain tlie best results by its application. As a rule 
the physician does not give sufficient instructions to his 
patient; therefore we will consider the subject quite 
carefully. 

ARTICLES REQUIRED. 

1. Bath thermometer, Fig 76. 

2. Reservoir (a) Fig. 77, or fountain syringe, Fig. 78. 

3. Glass douche tip (b) Fig. 77.) 

4. Douche pan (c) Fig. 77, or Kelly pad, Fig. 79. 

5. A bucket or slop jar for the overflow. 

Every woman should supply herself with these ar- 
ticles. They can be obtained at any surgical instrument 
house or from a druggist. 

The reservoir is made of granite with a spout foi 
attaching rubber tubing and should hold at least one gal- 
lon of water. 



THE VAGINAL DOUCHE 



127 



The glass vaginal douche tip has openings in the 
end and is attached to the rubber tubing. It is best to 
use a glass douche tip as it is easy to keep clean. 

The douche pan is made of metal and should have a 
rubber tube attached to carry the overflow into the bucket 
or slop jar. 




V\g. 76 — Bath thermometer. Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 




Fig-. 77 — a, — reservoir; b, — glass douche tip; c, — douche pan. (Ash» 
ton's Practice of Gynecology.) 



128 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



The Kelly pad is made of rubber and is used in place 
of the douche pan. It has a hollow rim which is inflated 
with air by blowing through a valve. If a woman has 
not a Kelly pad she can make a substitute as illustrated in 




Fig-, 78— A fountain syringe with a glass vaginal douche tip at- 
tached. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 




Fig. 79— A Kelly pad. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 



THE VAGINAL DOUCHE 129 

Fig. 80. Make a roll out of a Turkisli towel placing it in 
the form of a half circle and covering it over with a sheet 
of rubber oilcloth like that used on kitchen tables. 

KINDS OF DOUCHES. 

Hot, warm, medicated, and cleansing are the four 
kinds of douches to be considered. 

1. A hot douche is given to stop inflammation, that 
is, to keep the blood away from the pelvis, and the tem- 
perature of the water should be about 120 degrees. 

2. A warm douche is used to bring the blood to the 
pelvis and in this case the temperature is only 95 degrees. 

3. The medicated douche is employed in treating 
some diseased condition of the vagina or cervix. Your 
physician will prescribe the kind and amount of med- 
icine to use. 

4. The cleansing douche is used simply for the pur- 
pose of cleanliness. The temperature of the medicated 
and cleansing should be the same as for the warm 
douche. 

DURATION OF THE DOUCHE. 

Hot douche, thirty minutes. Warm douche, twenty 
minutes. Medicated douche, ten minutes. Cleansing 
douche requires only a few minutes, as generally only two 
quarts of water are used at a time. 



130 



WOMAN'S >SECRETS 
TIME. 



The most convenient time is before dressing in the 
morning or just before retiring in the evening. As a 
general rule patients are required to take a douche only 




Fig-. 80 — Ashton's substitute for the Kelly pad. (Ashton's Practice 
of Gynecology. 

at these periods, but they must be governed according 
to instructions of the physician. Some cases may require 
the douche every three hours and others only once a day. 



THE VAGINAL DOUCHE 



131 



The cleansing douche is taken only as needed, from once 
a dav to everv two or three days. 



POSITION OF THE PATIENT. 

In all cases it is best for the patient to take a douche 
lying doAvn so that the vaginal walls become distended 




Fig-. 81 — Showing the different conditions of the vagina when taking 
a douche, a, — correct position; vagina distended with water, 
b, — incorrect position; vaginal waUs coUapsed and touching each 
other. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecolog3^) 



132 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

as shown in (a) Fig. 81. The cleansing douche can be 
taken in a squatting position as shoAvn in Fig. 84, but in 




Fig. 82 — This shows the correct position for taking a vaginal douche. 
The patient is lying down and the vaginal walls are distended 
as illustrated in Fig. 81, — a. 



THE YAGIXAL DOUCHE 133 




Fig. 83 — Using a Kelly pad instead of a douche pan while taking a 
vaginal douche. 



134 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

this case the vaginal walls are collapsed and touch each 
other as illustrated in (b) Fig. 81. The hot, warm, and 
medicated douche must always be taken lying down as 
illustrated in Figs. 82 or 83, which show the correct 
position. 

PROPER WAY TO TAKE A VAGINAL DOUCHE. 

If possible; a woman should use a cot or sofa with 
springs so stiff that there is but little sagging. If this is 
not at hand, take an ironing board and place it length- 
wise in the bed or on a lounge and use douche pan, (c) 
Fig. 77. The patient must be lying lengthwise on the 
back with the hips raised on the douche pan. In this 
position the water will come in direct contact with the 
pelvic organs. If the douche be taken in a squatting 
position over a vessel. Fig. 84, the water does not reach 
the upper pari; of the vagina, and the effect of the douche 
is not obtained. If the Kelly pad is used, it is best to 
place the ironing board across the bed and let the feet 
rest on chairs. In all cases the reservoir or fountain 
syringe should be placed about four feet above the bed. 
A rubber tube should connect the outflow of the bedpan 
with the slop jar or bucket. If the patient has neither 
a douche pan nor a Kelly pad, she must use the substitute 
for same, as illustrated in Fig. 80. Often it is convenient 
for a woman to take a douche in the bathtub : in this case 



THE VAGINAL DOUCHE 



135 




Fig_ 84 — Showing patient squatting while taking a vaginal douche. 
This is wrong, as the vagina is collapsed as illustrated m 
Fig. 81,— b. 



136 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

neither a douche pan nor Kelly pad need be used, but the 
hips should be elevated on a Turkish towel folded about 
the same thickness as the douche pan. To prevent catch- 
ing cold, a woolen blanket is placed over the abdomen 
and lower extremities. Let the water flow very slowly. 
It is a good plan to close the vaginal opening around the 
glass douche tip by pinching the parts together with the 
thumb and finger; at the same time stop the flow with 
the other hand and retain the water a few seconds. Re- 
member, the douche point should be inserted into the 
vagina only a short distance as illustrated in (a) Fig. 81. 

These instructions are to be followed in taking a hot 
or warm douche. In the medicated form always take a 
plain sterile (water which has been boiled) douche before 
using the medicated; this will wash awny all discharges. 
If a poisonous drug is used in the medicated douche, a 
final sterile douche should be taken to wash out the med- 
icine, to prevent any absorption of the poison. 

The same appliances are used and the same instruc- 
tions followed whether a trained nurse gives the douche 
or it is taken by the patient herself. The only exception 
is when a woman takes a cleansing douche herself. In 
this case the reservoir (generally a fountain syringe) is 
suspended about four feet above the floor and the douche 
is taken squatting over a vessel as illustrated in Fig. 84. 
If a cleansing douche is given by a trained nurse, it is 



THE VAGINAL DOUCHE 137 

given the same as a hot or warm one only not so much 
water used. 

In any case where there is excessive discharge and 
only a cleansing douche is required, follow the same 
instructions as for a hot or warm douche, only use more 
water and let flow freely, using no glass douche tip. 
Simply place the rubber tubing in the vagina a short dis- 
tance, pinch the parts close around the tube, then let the 
water go out with a gush. This will bring the vaginal 
wall on a stretch and dislodge all secretions from the 
vagina, also all discharges from the uterus. The act of 
closing the parts around the tube and then releasing 
should be done several times while taking the douche. . 

Never take a douche with cold water because it will 
cause serious inflammation. Do not allow anyone to use 
your douche tip or fountain syringe, because there is great 
danoer of carrvino^ infection and disease bv so doinsr. 




CHAPTER XVI. 

HOW SURGICAL OPERATIONS AFFECT A WOMAN 

WHEN THE TUBES AND OVARIES ARE 

REMOVED. 

The general impression among the laity is that the 
removal of the tubes and ovaries causes a woman to lose 
her feminine attractions. HoAvever, this is not true. 
There is no tendency whatever toward the development 
of the masculine type. There is no change in the voice, 
nor is the figure altered in any way. In some cases there 
is a tendency for a patient to become fat. 

The relief from pain as a result of such operations 
causes a large majority of women to become more at- 
tractive in their general appearance, and the general 
health of the patient gradually improves. In some cases 
when the tubes and ovaries have been diseased for years, 
the damage done in the pelvis is often so extensive and the 
patient so weakened that perfect health cannot be re- 
stored. Yet, in most cases of long standing the removal 
of the diseased tubes and ovaries will change the state 
of invalidism to comparative health and usefulness. 

In most acute cases the relief from pain is imme- 
diate and the patient regains her normal health within a 



REMOVAL OP TUBES AND OVARIES 139 

few weeks after the operation. The removal of only one 
tube or ovary does not affect the patient in any way. 
When both tubes and ovaries are removed, the menopause 
(Chapter IX) appears and the patient has all of the 
symptoms which would naturally appear at that time. 
The full benefit of the operation is not obtained until 
these symptoms have subsided. 

Surgical operation is not the primary cause of in- 
sanity. More often an operation prevents it. If a patient 
does go insane after the removal of the tubes and ovaries, 
there is always existing an inherited tendency to in- 
sanity and the change of life is a direct cause of a mental 
break-down. With the loss of the tubes and ovaries a 
woman loses the power to become pregnant. Some women 
Avorry over this fact and become despondent, especially 
if the operation occurs early in life, because they are 
anxious to have children. 

If for any reason the tubes and ovaries should be 
removed before a girl menstruates her sexual develop- 
ment will be arrested. 

The effect upon the sexual appetite does not differ 
from that of the normal menopause. In a large majority 
of cases it increases because the woman regains her health 
and has no more tenderness in the pelvis. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

MASTURBATION. 

By the term masturbation or self abuse, we mean 
the gratification of the sexual passion by the use of the 
hand or any foreign body on oneself or another person. 
The most common form of masturbation in women con- 
sists in irritating the clitoris Avith the hand or by an oval 
shaped body introduced into the vagina. Imperfect mas- 
turbation is often practiced by infants of either sex who 
have no idea what they are doing. They may be taught 
the habit by an unprofessional or unscrupulous nurse ni 
order to keep them quiet, or perchance by accident they 
find that handling the genitals produces a pleasurable 
sensation. In childhood we find the habit more among 
boys than we do among girls, but later in life it occurs 
nuich more in women than in men. In infants we notice a 
reddened condition at the entrance of the vacrina, also 
an over-secretion. Again, there are changes in the child, 
such as sudden redness of the face followed by paleness, 
twitching of the muscles, hurried breathing and deep 
sighs. These spells often come on when the child is sit- 
ting on the floor or rocking and when pressing the fists 
against the genitals. These attacks have a tendency to 
completely wreck the nervous system ; therefore infants 



MASTURBATION 141 

and their nurses should be carefully watched. When 
such a condition is suspected it is well to consult a phys- 
ician in order that he may immediately discover any 
irritation that may be present and prescribe the proper 
treatment. It is better for such a child to lie on a hard 
couch and not be covered too warmly. Rich and highly 
seasoned foods should be prohibited. During an attack 
the child should be taken up, her thighs separated, her 
hands removed from her abdomen and her mind diverted. 
In older children we find the external genitals in a condi- 
tion that would result from continual irritation. 

As to the general health, masturbation causes the 
nervous system to suffer more than any other in all its 
functions. It causes a general nervousness, destroys the 
mental faculties, causes pains in various parts of the 
body, paralysis and insanity. The nutrition is also im- 
paired, there is loss in weight, the face becomes pale, the 
appetite poor, the bowels constipated, dark rings appear 
under the eyes and often there is inflammation of the 
bladder. 

We beseech every young girl into whose hands this 
book may chance to fall to look with horror and disgust 
upon this crime, and we trust that she will remain pure 
and innocent and that she may realize the depths of deg- 
radation into which she will fall if she ever attempts to 
practice such an evil. It will simply ruin her health and 
6 — 



142 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

the life that is before her. Words cannot express the 
deplorable results of this detestable habit, and woe to the 
governess, nnrse, or associate Avho teaches any innocent 
girl that which means her destruction. For she must be 
taught at first by someone. ^Mothers should have an eye 
upon their daughters and realize the fact that such a 
vice does exist, and use every effort to prevent it. We 
could say nothing better than to quote one of our eminent 
medical men. lie says in part, '^We could give facts 
almost without number, in reported cases, to show the 
prevalence and destructive nature of this vice among 
girls, but we forebear. The subject is painful and re- 
volting even to contemplate. We believe we have said 
enough to terrify jiarents into tlu^ needful precautions 
against it. If so mucli lias beiMi accomplished, our object 
has been realized.'' We I'cinai-k, however, in conclusion, 
that it is not sufficient to use merely ordinary precautions 
of a jndicious watchfuliu^ss in suspected cases, but skill- 
ful questioning must from time to time be employed. The 
subject should never be avoided through false delicacy, 
and such lessons should be imparted on the dreadful con- 
sequences of the habit, that one who is a victim of such 
vice will stop it. It were far better, my good mother, to 
acquaint even pure minded and perfectly innocent girls 
wdth the existence of such a vice and teach them its hor- 
rible consequences than to fail through false modesty and 



MASTURBATION 



143 



mistaken motives of delicacy to impart that informa- 
tion which may save the life and health of the purest 
and dea^'est creature on this earth, vour daughter. 




CHAPTER XVIIl. 

CONSTIPATION. 

Many years ago an eminent physician defined woman 
as ^^a constipated biped with a pain in her back." This 
was unjust, but he was not far from right. He did not 
mention that the pain was due to constipation, but it 
very often is. The fact is that this complaint is almost 
universal among women and is the indirect cause of much 
of their suffering. 

Definition: — Chronic constipation is the habitual pro- 
longed retention of the contents of the lower bowel which 
naturally become hardened on account of the absorp- 
tion of its liquid part. We are not permitted to say that 
it is a disease, but it is a symptom of some other trouble. 
The essential point is not so much how often the bowels 
move, but how long the contents of the bowels are re- 
tained. In most cases there is a marked infrequency of 
movement. In usual cases the normal length of time 
between movements of the bowels in adults is twenty- 
four hours. 

CAUSES. 

Chronic constipation is produced by various condi- 



CONSTIPATION 145 

lions, some of a general and others of a local character. 
Among them are the habits of women who mingle largely 
in social circles, neglect to evacuate the bowels at the 
proper time, improper diet, insufficient amount of water, 
bodily inactivity, the ill-advised use of cathartics, back- 
ward displacement of the uterus, tumors, or any ab- 
normal condition of the rectum. 

1. The Habits of Women Who Mingle Largely in 
Social Circles. — In the upper classes we find sedentary 
habits and various chronic diseases, especially liver, stom- 
ach, nervous disorders, and often hysteria. 

2. Neglect of Evacuating the Bowels at the Proper 
Time. — Worry or severe mental work which occupies a 
patient's attention to such an extent that she neglects to 
respond to the calls of nature is a well-known cause of 
chronic constipation. 

3. Improper Diet. — There is a good deal of discus- 
sion among medical authorities as to what extent diet 
causes chronic constipation, but the weight of authority 
tells us that the diet which produces a ,small amount of 
residue will have a tendency to cause constipation. 

4. Insufficient Amount of Water. — This is another 
very important cause of chronic constipation. It is sur- 
prising to note what a small amount of water, a fluid 
whose use is essential to good health, the majority of 
women will consume in twenty-four hours. 



146 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

5. Bodily Inactivity. — This is due to sedentary habits 
diid to dressing which destroys the proper movements of 
the diaphragm. Tight lacing results in flabby abdominal 
walls, which in turn produce poor muscular action of the 
bowels. 

6. Ill-advised Use of Cathartics. — The ill-advised use 
of cathartics is frequently responsible for improper action 
of the bowels. As a rule Avhen patients begin to l)e con- 
stipated they begin to take medicine. This is unfortunate, 
for the continuation of such remedies will in time <lestroy 
the proper tone of the muscles of the bowels. True, im- 
mediate relief is obtained, but as constipation and the 
other symptoms return, patients again resort to drugs for 
relief. Stronger doses and frequent changes of medicine 
are required from tiiiie to time. The patient soon finds 
that she is a slave to the medicine habit and that the ])ow- 
els will not move without assistance. 

A diseased condition of the nerves of the bowels, 
dyspepsia, displacement of the uterus, chronic inflamma- 
tion of the lining membrane, and growths in the intes- 
tines which would in time form tumors will also cause 
constipation. Local conditions in and about the rectum, 
such as ulcers, tumors, and piles ; fissures caused by crack- 
ing of the mucous membranes, strictures due to a con- 
traction of the muscles about the rectum frequently result 
in chronic constipation. 



CONSTIPATION 147 

EFFECTS. 

The effect of constipation upon the system is very 
marked. The poison which is absorbed from the bowels 
causes headaches, depression of spirit, loss of appetite, bad 
breath, coated tongue and loss of weight. In women it 
also causes palpitation of the heart, cold hands and feet 
and neuralgic pains in various parts of the body. Women 
have suffered so commonly from this kind of poison and 
for so long a time that they use the words ''biliousness'' 
and ''sick headache'' to express this condition and to the 
laity it indicates some liver trouble. Investigation shows 
that the poisons which are formed in the intestines and 
absorbed while a patient is constipated produce these 
well known eft'ects upon the system. The circulation of 
the poison through the system causes mental depression 
and destroys the intellect. No matter how gentle, benign, 
and hopeful a woman may be, chronic constipation will in 
time render her very irritable in temper and destroy her 
once pleasing manner. 

It is interesting to note that the inmates in the asy- 
lums are generally constipated, and the depressed insane 
are promptly improved by a vigorous cathartic. 

Prolonged constipation may result in piles (hem- 
orrhoids), or an over-stretching of the bowels. The irri- 
tation of the hardened masses may cause the formation of 
ulcers. 



148 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

The blood of a chronically constipated patient be- 
comes very poor and as a result a breaking out occurs on 
the skin, also dark colored or brown spots appear on the 
face. If women wish to have a beautiful and clear com- 
plexion, there must be a normal condition of the stomach 
and bowels. 

Chronic constipation destroys the vital forces of the 
body and lowers the power of resisting diseases to such 
an extent that the sufferer not only endures the direct bad 
effects but is susceptible to any disease with which she 
may come in contact. 

TREATMENT. 

Until a short time ago the medical profession paid 
but little if any attention to the curative treatment of 
chronic constipation, but it is gratifying to the sufferers 
from such conditions to note that science has made suc- 
cessful development along this line. Today we are prac- 
tically masters of the situation. All uncomplicated cases 
that are due simply to inactivity of the muscles of the 
bowels can be cured. When the patient will not adhere 
strictly to the physician's orders she cannot be cured. To 
cure chronic constipation it is necessary to establish the 
habit of regularity in evacuating the bowels. A patient 
should go to the toilet every morning even if there is no 
desire for the bowels to move, and endeavor to cultivate 



CONSTIPATION 149 

a stimulus to the bowels which will result in regularity. 
The medicine and enema habit acquired by women who 
are troubled with constipation will be mentioned simply 
to be condemned. It is astonishing to know the amount 
of cathartics which are used each year to simply make bad 
matters worse. One combination of drugs is tried until it 
has lost its effect, and then another, until the effect of each 
combination is worn out. These patients go, as a general 
rule, from one physician to another seeking relief, but too 
often they are given a prescription to relieve the present 
condition only, and are not improved in the end. Too 
little attention is paid to chronic constipation because 
patients do not consider it a serious detriment to their 
health. 

To effect a cure in chronic constipation, the physician 
must first find out the cause and relieve it before he can 
ever hope for success. This requires a careful, diligent, 
;ind thorough examination and study of each individual 
case. If a woman has chronic constipation and expects to 
be cured, her ease must be thoroughly studied and prop- 
erly treated. As you will note, it may be due to one of 
several causes. 

There are some things a patient can do to assist her 
physician. In the first place she must comply to a letter 
with his orders. She should take the proper exercise 
either outdoor or indoor, and eat suitable food. Now 

6a— 



150 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

if it were possible for a physician to prescribe a diet that 
would lill the bowels with undigested food, to produce 
stimulation in the bowels, the treatment would be ideal 
for simple uncomplicated cases, but this is impossible 
because such a diet would in a short time cause inflamma- 
tion in the stomach and bowels. A suitable diet is ot 
so mucfi importance that all women who suffer with 
chronic constipation should select foods that will leave 
a large amount of residue in the bowels. At the same 
time it must be a diet that is nutritious and not irritating 
and one that suits the peculiarities of the individual. 
In order to instruct these sufferers as best we can in 
this article, we will mention a few rules of diet which 
will increase the amount of residue in the bowels. 

Rule 1. Drink plenty of Avater and partake of juicy 
fruits and tuberous vegetables, such as beets, carrots, 
turnips, etc., as they contain large amounts of water. 
Masticate the food thoroughly. This will increase the 
amount of fluid. Cold water is beneficial taken one hour 
before meals and before bedtime, beginning with half 
a glass and increasing four ounces each day until one 
or two quarts are consumed every twenty-four hours. If 
there is any stomach trouble like indigestion drink hot 
water in place of cold. 

Rule 2. See that there is a large amount of indi- 
gestible solid matter in the food, such as fruits and 



CONSTIPATION 151 

cereals, that contain seeds and husks, also fibrous and 
woody materials. Lettuce, spinach, greens, watercress, 
celery, oatmeal or any coarse cereal are along this line. 
Whole wheat bread may be added. 

Rule 3. Select foods which will cause gas to form 
in the bowels. In this class will be those articles of 
diet that contain starch, sugar and fat. Potatoes, mo- 
lasses, honey, bacon, and fat meats form a very suitable 
diet to produce such a condition. The fat envelops the 
starch granules and they then decompose, forming gas; 
this increases the action of the bowels. Fat also lubricates 
the intestinal tract and allows the contents of the bowels 
to pass more freely. 

Rule 4. Last but not least, we must add to the diet 
list something which will increase the floAV of bile from 
the liver, and the flow of juices from the stomach and 
other organs of digestion. We have prunes, figs, dates, 
apricots, apples, peaches, oranges, lemons, grapes, pears, 
and quinces from which to select for this purpose. It is 
also claimed that olive oil and fats have the same effect. 
If such a diet as outlined above should cause either pains 
in the abdomen or diarrhoea, it should be discontinued. 
In some cases a fruit diet does well, but the fruit must 
be ripe and pure, as green or decayed fruit does much 
harm. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



THE ENEMA. 



Definition. — By the term enema we mean the in- 
jection of plain or medicated water into the rectum and 
colon (the large bowel). In hospital practice it is termed 
the low and high enema. 

ARTICLES REQUIRED. 

A fountain syringe, Fig. 85, or a reservoir, Fig. 77, 
a hard rubber syringe with rectal tube attached as in 
Fig. 90, and a rectal tip. Although a tip comes with 
all syringes the improved one designed by Dr. Ashton is 
of great value, Fig. 86. It is constructed with a large 
flange one inch in diameter. When the tip is inserted 
in the rectum the flange presses against the parts and 
prevents the instrument from going too high in the 
bowel, and helps to retain the fluid by stimulating the 
contracting muscles of the rectum. 

USES. 

The enema is used to give temporary relief in chronic 
constipation, to wash the poison caused by constipation 
out of the large bowel, to assist in preparing the general 



THE ENEMA 



153 



system for surgical operation, and to increase the action 
of the liver and kidneys. It is used by some physicians 





Fig-. 85 — A fountain syringe witli rectal tip attached. (Ashton's 
Practice of Gynecology.) 



Fi^. 86 — The best form of rectal tip used for washing out the large 
bowel. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 



154 WOMAN ^S SECRETS 

to reduce the temperature and cleanse the bowels in 
typhoid fever. It is valuable in shock after operation. 
Its daily use as a remedy for constipation is a practice 
as detrimental to the patient as the medicine habit. 
From a medical standpoint it is very useful and essential. 
The physician should order the kind of an enema accord- 
ing to the condition of the patient. 

THE KIND OF ENEMATA. 

1. The Plain Enema. — This is in general use by the 
laity. It is composed of a quart of water at a tempera- 
ture of 100 degrees and enough castile soapsuds to make 
a colored solution. 

2. The Medicated Enema. — When more stimulation 
is required, as in obstinate constipation, medicine is often 
added to the plain, thus: 

(a) Castor oil or olive oil 1 ounce 

Plain (100 degrees) 2 pints 

or, 

(b) Epsom Salts 2 ounces 

Glycerine 2 ounces 

Spirits of Turpentine .-. 1 teaspoonful 

Hot water (100 degrees) 1 pint 

(c) Often when prompt relief is necessary an ounce 
of glycerine is ordered injected into the rectum with a 
small hard rubber syringe. 



THE ENEMA 155 

(d) Six ounces of hot olive oil at a temperature of 
110 degrees given high is also prescribed for obstinate 
constipation. 

(e) One pint of milk of asafoetida is injected into 
the bowel when a great deal of gas in the bowels is as- 
sociated with constipation, or after an operation. This 
may be given high. 

(f ) Another form of medicated enema is the normal 
salt solution. This is made by putting one teaspoonful 
of common table salt to each pint of water used. It is 
given hot. warm or cold and may be injected high or 
low as the case requires. 

8. The Hot Enema. — This is given to increase the 
action of the heart or kidneys. It is given at a tempera- 
ture of 110 to 120 degrees and is composed of water only. 

Jr. The Cold Enema. — A cold enema is given in 
fevers and when a reaction is required. Cold water 
stmiulates and tones the boAvels, whereas hot water re- 
laxes. The proper temperature for a cold enema is 60 
to 70 degrees. Less w^ater is used and it is not retained 
as long as is the warm or hot enema. 

5. The Warm Enema. — This is composed of plain 
water and is given at a temperature of 90 to 95 degrees. 
It is generally prescribed immediately before giving a 
cold enema, as it increases its action, causing a decided 
reaction. 



156 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

6. The Nutritive Enema. — When the stomach will 
not retain nourishment on account of a surgical operation 
or any diseased condition a nutritive enema is given. It 
should be given high at a temperature of 100 degrees, not 
more than three or four ounces at a time and not oftener 
than from four to eight hours. If more fluid is used it will 
not be retained. 

The following formulas are generally used: 

(a) Liquid Peptonoids 1 ounce 

Normal salt solution 3 ounces 

(b) One raw egg 

A little table salt 

Whiskey V2 ounce 

Peptonized milk 3 ounces 

(c) One raw egg 

Peptonized milk 3 ounces 

Beef juice 1 ounce 

A little table salt 

HOW AN ENEMA SHOULD BE GIVEN. 

Any form of enema may be given low or high ex- 
cept the glycerine alone. It should be given low. By 
the term low enema we mean that the enema is injected 
in the rectum. By the high enema we mean that the fluid 
is placed in the large bowel so that it traverses its entire 
length and reaches every part of the colon. This is some- 



THE ENEMA 157 

times called a colonic flushing and is accomplished by 
using the rectal tube, Fig. 90, instead of the tip. The 
rectal tube is slipped over the small rectal tip which 
comes with a fountain syringe. Your physician will 
give orders as to whether it should be high or low and 
the kind of enema to use, but for the purposes for which 
women generally use the enema there are some special 
instructions that will be of advantage. It may be that 
she must have an attendant or nurse to assist her, as it is 
somewhat awkward for a woman to follow alone the 
technique as herein described. "When the patient is con- 
fined in bed the low enema is given with patient lying on 
her left side. After it is taken she should lie on her 
back for a few minutes and then turn over on the right 
side. This will give the water a tendency to gravitate 
around in the direction of the large bowel. The same 
position is used for the high enema when the patient is 
weak and in bed, but the rectal tube is used in the place 
of the tip. Even in health it is much better to take an 
enema this way than to take it sitting over the toilet, 
as is generally practiced. It should be retained as long 
as possible, but where a thorough cleansing of the bowels 
is required it is best, if the patient is strong enough, to 
take the enema in the knee-chest position. Hold the 
rectal tip. Fig. 86, which has been attached to the rubber 
tubing which is connected with a fountain syringe or 



158 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



reservoir, as illustrated in Fig. 87. If it is desired to 
give the bowels a thorough cleansing the medicated enema 
of normal salt solution should be used. There should be 
from one to two quarts of this solution in the syringe 
which is huno^ about five feet from the floor. Unfasten 




Fig. 87 — Showing first position of the patient and how to hold the 
rectal tip. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

the clip and allow a small quantity of the solution to 
run out; this expels the air and alloAvs the escape of the 
cold water which was in the rubber tube. Now fasten 
the tube and lubricate the tip with vaseline or soap and 
place in the rectum as shown in Pig. 87, with the patient 



THE ENEMA 



159 



kneeling and in the position illustrated. When the solu- 
tion begins to flow the tip is held firmly against the parts 
and the patient takes the position illustrated in Fig. 88. 
When the fluid begins to enter the rectum as a general 
rule there is a desire to expel it, but the patient should 




Fig. 88 — Showing- second position of the patient when taking an 
enema. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

make every effort to retain it. The tip should be pressed 
firmly against the parts. Patients can ofttimes hear a 
gurgling sound when the water passes farther up the 
bowel and then the solution will flow freely. When the 
syringe is empty the tip is withdrawn and the patient 



160 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



rolls over on the right side, as illustrated in Fig. 89. When 
there is a pressing desire to empty the bowels the patient 
sits on the toilet or vessel or, if confined in bed, the 
bedpan, and there is a complete evacuation of the solu- 
tion and poisonous material as well as the contents of 
the bowels. It does not take very long to accomplish 
this method of cleansing the bowels and it is very effective. 
If the patient is too weak to take the enema in the posi- 
tion mentioned, she should lie on the left side, have the 




Fig'. S9 — Showing third position of the patient with large bowel filled 
with water. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

hips elevated, and use the rectal tube, placing the solution 
as high as possible in the boAvel. Then take the same 
position as directed in the low enema. 

In giving the nutritive enema a hard rubber syringe 
and a rectal tube, as illustrated in Fig. 90, should be used. 
The solution is drawn up into the syringe and enough 
force used to expel the air. The tube is inserted in the 
rectum a distance of ten to fourteen inches after being 
well oiled with sterile vaseline or olive oil. This enema 



THE ENEMA 161 

should be given high so that it can be absorbed by coining 
in contact with more of the bowel surface. The patient 
should be placed on the right side or in the knee-chest 
position in giving this enema. Before giving the nutritive 
enema a cleansing enema of normal salt solution or a plain 




Fig. 90 — A syringe and rectal tube used in giving a nutritive enema. 
(Ashton's Practice of Gj^necology.) 

enema should be given, and if the bowels will not retain 
the nutritive enema, ofttimes five or ten minims of tinc- 
ture of opium is added to the mixture. 

The enema composed of normal salt solutions is given 
for shock after operation. The rectal tube is used as 



162 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

directed above and the solution is allowed to flow con- 
tinuously a few drops at a time. This is known as the 
drop method. 

Under the head of the different enemas the tempera- 
ture and quantity of the various kinds have been given, 
and they should be referred to when giving an enema. 
It is safe for a Avoman to use the normal salt solution or 
the plain enema either low or high for the purpose of 
giving herself temporary i-elief in chronic constipation, 
but she should not attempt to administer any of the 
other forms unless so ordered by her physician or a pro- 
fessional nurse who may have charge of her. 




CHAPTER XX. 

DIET. 

The subject of diet is one of great importance either 
iu health or in disease, and it is impossible to give in 
one chapter an exhaustive treatise upon the different 
kinds of foods, their composition and uses. It is very 
essential that every woman should purchase some good 
book on the subject, as Freidemvald's *'Diet in Health 
and Disease." and give it her careful attention, because 
the subject is so neglected and abused both in the pro- 
fession and among the laity that it would require a 
volume to give a comprehensive discourse and specific 
directions in the matter of healthful food. Food-stuffs 
require careful study. Without going into any minute 
details in regard to the chemistry of them or the physi- 
ology of digestion, we will give a few fixed rules and diet 
lists which may be used as a reference when any special 
diet is ordered for a patient by the attending physician. 

THE METHOD OF COOKING AND PREPARING 

FOOD. 

The preparation and cooking of food-stuffs is prac- 



164 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

ticed by all tribes, nations, and races, whether savage or 
civilized. Foods are cooked for the foUoAving reasons : 

1. To improve their flavor. 

2. To soften them so that they can be thoroughly 
masticated. 

3. To destroy any infection or germs which may 
be present. 

4. To make the chemical changes which assist di- 
gestion. 

VEGETABLES. 

The fact that vegetables are largely composed of 
starch granules makes cooking them a necessity. They 
should be put into boiling water and it should be kept 
at the same temperature. Salt in the proportion of one 
teaspoonful to two quarts of Avater should be added 
when the vegetables are partly cooked. Cabbage, cauli- 
flower, onions, and turnips are best boiled under cover 
in a large amount of water, while fresh green vegetables 
require less. After they are drained, a seasoning of salt and 
pepper should be added to suit the taste. The following 
sauce makes them more palatable : Three tablespoonfuls 
of butter, three tablespoonfuls of flour, one teaspoonful 
of salt, white pepper, one cup of milk, and one cup of 
stock (water in which the boiling is done). Vegetables 
should not be cooked too rapidly. The following time- 
table is given by the Drexel Institute : 



DIET 165 

Potatoes 25-30 min. Spinach 30-45 min. 

Carrots 35-45 min. Celery 20-30 min. 

Turnips 45 min. Parsnips 30-45 min. 

Beets (young) 45 min. Green peas 30-40 min. 

Beets (old) 3-4 h'rs. String beans 1-3 h'rs. 

Tomatoes 1-3 h'rs. Lima beans 1 hr. or more 

Onions 45-60 min. Green corn 12-20 min. 

Cabbage 45-60 min. Rice 20-45 min. 

Cauliflower .20-30 min. Macaroni 45-65 min. 

Asparagus 20-30 min. 

CEREALS. 

Cereals, and the gruels made from them, form a 
very valuable diet list for the sick and for patients who 
must have special food which is easily digested and at 
the same time very nutritious. 

Cereals are best cooked in vessels which have a 
double boiler. The lower boiler, or compartment, should 
be filled about half full of water, and if additional water 
is required during the cooking it should always be boil- 
ing hot. The same proportions of water and salt given 
for vegetables should be used, adding the cereal gradually 
and stirring to prevent burning. It should be steamed 
until thoroughly cooked, and the water in the lower 
compartment kept at a boiling point. As a general rule, 
cereals are not given sufficient time to cook thoroughly. 
We might mention oatmeal as an example. It has a 
much better flavor and is more nutritious if it can be 
slowly cooked for three hours or more. 



166 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

Cereals should be just thin enough to pour when 
taken out of the boiler, and when cool, should form a 
jelly-like substance. Any cereals which are cooked in 
the form of mush may be made into gruel by adding milk 
or cream. For serving to the sick, gruels should be hot, 
and neither too sweet nor too highly flavored. In some 
cases where patients require more nutrition, the whipped 
white of an egg may be added. Formulas for the most 
common gruels will be given under ''Soft Diet." The 
following time-table is an excellent one: 

Cornmeal mush: Boil 10 minutes, then steam 3 hours, or more. 

Oatmeal: Boil 10 minutes, then steam 1% hours or more. 

Irish Oatmeal: Boil 10 minutes, then steam 8 hours or more. 

Wheatena: Boil 10 minutes, then steam 1% hours or more. 

Gluten Mush: Boil 30 minutes. 

Steamed Rice: Boil for one hour. 

Boiled Rice: Boil for 20 minutes or until soft. 

MEATS. 

Only tender cuts of meats should be used, especially 
for the sick, and they should be pan-broiled or roasted. 
They should be placed in a hot oven at a high tempera- 
ture, so that the outer surface will be seared and hard- 
ened to prevent the escape of nutrition ; then the tempera- 
ture should be lowered and the meat allowed to cook in 
its own juices. 

Meats, to be properly boiled, should be placed in 
boiling water and allowed to boil a few minutes (10 or 



DIET 167 

15). Then the cooking should proceed slowly until the 
meat is tender. The water should not be allowed to 
bubble again. Tough meats treated in this manner will 
become tender. 

The time required for cooking meats, either roasted 
in the oven or boiled, varies with the weight and quan- 
tity. The roast which weighs from eight to twelve 
pounds should be allowed twelve miuutes to the pound 
and twelve minutes extra : if under eight pounds, ten 
minutes to the pound and ten minutes extra ; if over 
twelve pounds, fifteen minutes to the pound and fifteen 
minutes extra. To boil meats weighing less than ten 
pounds, allow twenty minutes to the pound and twenty 
minutes extra. 

The time required for broiling meats varies with 
the thickness. The proper method of cooking a steak is 
to have the frying-pan very hot, without grease. Cut 
the steak to the desired size, trim all the fat off, and 
place in the frying-pan. Sear the outer surface of one 
side, then turn it over and treat the opposite side in the 
same manner. Add a little salt and pepper and keep 
turning it from one side to the other, cooking it as de- 
sired, either rare, medium, or well done. For the sick, 
rare steak contains the greatest nutrition and is most 
easily digested. It should be placed on a hot plate, 



168 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

buttered, and served while very hot. The average time 
required to cook a steak an inch thick is five minutes. 

FRUITS. 

Fruits are considered of very little nutritive value 
to the system. They are used mainly to give variety to 
the diet and as flavoring agents. Some contain a little 
starch, sugar, and a sort of fruit gelatine. As a rule, 
they contain a large amount of water and some acid 
which act as a stimulant to the kidneys and bowels. 
The flavor and odor of fruits is due to their essential oils. 

Some varieties of fruit are easily digesteel in the 
raw state — among them oranges, lemons, grapes, and 
peaches. Raw apples, pears, and bananas are less di- 
gestible. Bananas obtained from the Ignited States are 
claimed to be indigestible. 

GENERAL RULES FOR PREPARING SOUPS. 

In preparing soups and broths from meats and vege- 
tables, the ingredients to be used should be cut in very 
small pieces and put in cold water. Allow the mixture 
to simmer slowly so that the nutrition of the meats and 
vegetables will be dissolved and become a part of the 
liquid. Cook in this way for several hours. Allow to 
cool uncovered, and A^hen cold the fat can be easily 
removed with a cloth that has been dipped in boiling 



DIET 169 

water and then wrung dry. Fat can be removed from 
hot broth by using a slice of bread to take up the grease. 
Soups may be rendered more nutritious by adding 
sago or some cereal, as barley or rice. They should al- 
ways be served hot and seasoned to suit the taste. 

LIQUID DIET. 

The liquid form of diet is generally used before and 
after operations and in the treatment of various diseases, 
as fevers and cases where the patient's digestion is poor. 
Milk is the ideal liquid food if it agrees with a patient. 
It can be served in many ways, but as it is a gas pro- 
ducer great caution should be used in prescribing it 
before or after operative cases or in any case where gas 
accumulates in the intestines. Milk may be taken hot 
or cold. It may be flavored with tea, coffee, vanilla, or 
diluted with lime-water or plain soda. It may also be 
added to soups or broths as desired. Milk goes to make 
up the essential part in the majority of licjuid diets. 
The following are some of the common formulas for 
liquid milk diet: 

Milk-shake. — Take six ounces of fresh milk and add two tea- 
spoonfuls of sugar and flavor with a teaspoonful of vanilla. Place 
all in a wide-mouthed bottle with some cracked ice; cork se- 
curely and shake well for one or two minutes. 

An entire egg, or the albuminous portion only, may be added 
previous to shaking. Wine may be substituted for the vanilla. 



170 WOMAN ^S SECRETS 

Peptonized Milk. — This is best prepared with Fairchild's pep- 
tonizing-tubes, each of which contains 5 grains (0.32) of extract 
of pancreatin and 15 grains (0.97) of bicarbonate of soda. 

Sterilized Milk. — This process consists in raising the tem- 
perature of the milk to 210 degrees F. and keeping it at that 
point for thirty minutes. A simple method of sterilizing milk 
may be accomplished as follows: The sterile bottles are filled 
with milk and plugged with cotton, which has been baked brown 
in the oven. They are placed in a tin pail, which is then filled 
with water up to the necks of the bottles and placed on the 
range. The water is now boiled slowly for thirty minutes, when 
the bottles are removed and placed in a refrigerator until needed. 

Pasteurized Milk. — This process consists in raising the tem- 
perature of the milk to 167 degrees F. and keeping it at that 
point for half an hour. Put the milk in sterile bottles and 
stopper with cotton batting which has been baked brown in 
the oven. Place the bottles in a covered pail and pour in water 
actually boiling at the time until they are immersed up to their 
necks. Allow the bottles to remain in the pail for thirty min- 
utes and then place them in a refrigerator until needed. This 
raises the temperature of the milk to 167 degrees F. and main- 
tains it at that point for half an hour while the water in the 
pail is cooling. 

Albumenized Milk. — Add the white of an egg to half a tum- 
blerful of milk and mix it by passing the blade of a knife gently 
to and fro in the tumbler. The mixture must not be beaten, as 
violent agitation coagulates the albumen and destroys its digesti- 
bility. 

Milk Punch. — Take one cupful of milk, two tablespoonfuls 
of whisky or brandy, one teaspoonful of sugar, and a nutmeg. 
The milk is first sweetened with the sugar, the whisky or brandy 



DIET 171 

added, and the whole thoroughly mixed by pouring from one 
glass to another. Then grate a little nutmeg over the top. Tf 
the ingredients are shaken in two tin cups, one of which fits 
closely into the other, it makes a better and more attractive 
punch. 

Milk Porridge. — ]Mix a tablespoonful of flour with one-fourth 
cupful of cold milk and stir into one-fourth cupful of hot milk; if 
desired, add two raisins cut into quarters. Cook over boiling 
water for one hour, and add one-quarter teaspoonful of salt just 
before serving. 

iVIiik Lemonade. — Take two ounces of sugar, five ounces of 
boiled milk, one-half lemon, or two ounces of white wine, five 
ounces of boiling water, and the rind of half a lemon. Pour the 
boiling water over the peel and the sugar; allow it to cool, add 
the milk, and then the lemon juice or wine. Strain after ten 
minutes. 

Milk-and-Cinnamon Drink. — Add a small amount of cinnamon 
to the desired quantity of milk and boil it. Sweeten with sugar 
and add brandy if desired. 

Milk-and-Cereal Waters. — A most valuable method of pre- 
paring milk for invalids with whom it disagrees is to mix equal 

parts of milk and thoroughly cooked barley, rice, oatmeal or 

arrowroot water and boil them together for ten minutes. This 

may be served plain, or flavored by cooking with it a cut-up 

raisin, a sprig of mace, or a piece of stick cinnamon, which 

should be strained out before serving. 

The various forms of liquid diet, such as gruel com- 
binations of egg and milk and different broths, folloAvs: 

Albumen Water No. 1. — Add the white of an egg to a tum- 
blerful of ordinary lemonade and mix it by passing the blade 



172 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

of a knife gently to and fro in the tumbler; the albumen coagu- 
lates if the mixture is beaten. 

Albumen Water No. 2. — Add the white of an egg to half a 
tumbler of ice-water, mix as in No. 1 and season with a little 
salt. 

Egg-Nog. — Put the yolk of an egg in a tumbler and mix it 
well with a teaspoonful of sugar. Then add a tablespoonful of 
brandy, whisky, or sherry wine and fill the tumbler about two- 
thirds full with ice-cold milk. Then mix thoroughly by pouring 
from one glass to another or shaking in two tin cups, and strain 
into a tall, thin glass. Beat the white of the egg to a stiff froth, 
add a little sugar, and place it on the egg-nog. Then grate some 
nutmeg over the top. 

Egg Lemonade. — Thoroughly beat one egg with a tablespoon- 
ful of sugar and then mix with a wineglassfui of water and the 
juice of a small lemon. Pour the whole into a tumbler contain- 
ing pounded ice and stir with a spoon. 

Clam Broth. — Wash three large clams very thoroughly, using 
a brush for the purpose. Place in a kettle with half a cupful of 
cold water. Heat over the fire; as soon as the shells open the 
broth is done. Strain through muslin, season, and serve. 

Oyster Broth. — Select eight fresh oysters, chop them fine in 
a chopping-tray, and turn them into a saucepan with a cup of 
cold water; set the saucepan on the fire and let the water come 
slowly to the boiling point, then simmer for five minutes; strain 
the liquid into a bowl, flavor with half a saltspoonful of salt, and 
serve hot. 

Chicken Broth. — An old fowl will make a more nutritious and 
tasty broth than a young chicken. After cleaning and removing 
all that is not clear flesh, the fowl is cut into small pieces and 
placed in a saucepan. It is then covered with cold water, al- 



DIET 173 

lowed to simmer for two hours, and finally to boil slowly for 
two hours more. It is then strained and placed aside to cool, 
when the fat is carefully skimmed off. It is served hot and sea- 
soned with pepper and salt. 

Mutton Broth. — Take two pounds of mutton from the loin 
or the lean part of the neck, remove skin and the fat, and cut it 
into small pieces about two inches square. Put the meat and 
the bones in a saucepan or a kettle, cover with a quart of cold 
water, and add a tablespoonful of rice or pearl barley; then let 
simmer gently for two hours, strain, and place aside to cool. 
Skim the fat off carefully. It is served hot and seasoned with 
pepper and salt. 

Beef Broth. — Allow one pound of meat, or meat and bone, 
to every quart of water. Wash the meat with a cloth in cold 
water and cut it into small pieces. Put the meat and the bone 
into a saucepan or a kettle with cold water and cook it at a 
low temperature for two hours. Then boil for two hours and 
strain through a coarse strainer. Skim as much fat as possible 
from the surface with a spoon and then remove the remaining 
small particles with a sheet of clean unsized paper drawn over 
the surface. Season the broth with salt and pepper and serve hot. 

Beef-tea. — Take a pound of lean beef, free from fat and 
fibrous tissue, cut it inta small pieces and place them in a fruit 
jar with a good cover. Add to it a pint of cold water and stand 
in a moderately warm place for one hour; then let it simmer 
gently for two hours more, then strain and season with salt and 
pepper. 

Oatmeal Water.— Put a cupful of oatmeal into two quarts 
of boiled water and place it aside in a warm place (80 degrees 
F.) for an hour and a half. Then strain it and put in a re- 
frigerator. 

7— 



174 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

Barley Water. — Put three tablespoonfuls of barley (the grain) 
into four cupfuls of cold water and place it aside for twelve 
hours. Then boil it gently for an hour and a half and strain. 
Season it with salt, sugar and lemon juice and serve hot. 

Toast Water. — Toast three slices of bread until they are 
very brown and then break them into small pieces. Put them 
into a bowl with a pint of cold water and set aside to soak for 
an hour. Strain through a napkin and squeeze out the liquid, 
to which is added a little cream and sugar. It is served cold. 

SOFT DIET. 

When it is advisable, in any case of sickness, to sub- 
stitute a more substantial diet depends entirely on the 
individual case and the instructions of the physician, 
but when such a change is ordered it is well to make it 
gradual and continue part of the liquid diet, occasionally 
substituting what is known as a soft diet. The patient's 
appetite can be consulted and a selection made from the 
following, which are the chief forms of soft diet : 

Eggs: Poached (plain or on toast); scrambled; omelet; 
soft-boiled. 

Oysters: Raw; stewed; panned; roasted. 

Bread: Stale bread; Graham bread toasted; croutons; sip- 
pets; milk-toast; buttered water toast; cream toast; buttered 
dry toast; plain crackers. 

Soups: Chicken; cream-of-celery; cream-of-rice ; chicken 
panada. 

Potatoes: Baked; creamed. 



DIET 175 

Sweetbreads: Creamed. 

Mush: Oatmeal; farina; wheat germ; cracked wheat; hom- 
iny; cornmeal. 

Fruit: Oranges; grapes; baked apples; stewed prunes; 
stewed apples. 

Desserts: Wine jelly; soft or baked custard; junket or 
slip; cream-of-rice pudding; peach foam; cornstarch pudding; 
boiled rice with cream and sugar; vanilla ice-cream; rice cream; 
orange jelly; chicken jelly; sponge cake and cream; barley 
pudding. 

Kecipes for most of the above forms of soft diet can 
be found in a good cook-book. Following are a few 
formulas for some of those articles of diet which may 
be found of value : 

Cream Toast. — Take one pint of milk, one tablespoonful of 
flour, one tablespoonful of butter, one saltspoonful of salt, and 
several slices of bread. Make a white sauce with the milk, flour, 
and butter, according to the following directions: Pour the milk 
into a saucepan and set it on the fire to heat. Put the butter 
and the flour together in another saucepan; place it on the 
fire and stir gently until the butter melts; let them bubble to- 
gether for two or three minutes. Then pour in a little milk and 
stir until the two are mixed; add a little more milk and stir again 
until it bubbles, and so continue until all the milk is in. Now 
add the salt and let it simmer slowly until the toast is prepared. 
Soak the slices of toast thoroughly in salted boiling milk, ar- 
range them in a covered dish and pour the cream over them. 

Soft Custard. — Take one pint of milk, the yolks of two eggs, 
two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and one saltspoonful of salt. Put 



176 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

the milk into a saucepan and place it on the stove to boil. Beat 
together the yolks of the eggs, the salt, and the sugar, and when 
the milk just reaches the boiling point pour it in slowly, stirring 
until all is well mixed. Then pour the mixture into the sauce- 
pan at once and cook for three minutes, meanwhile stirring it 
slowly. Then strain it into a cool dish and flavor it with a tea- 
spoonful of vanilla or sherry wine. 

Baked Cup Custard. — Beat one egg thoroughly; add a flat 
teaspoonful of sugar, beat again and pour the mixture into a 
breakfast coffee-cup. Then stir in sufficient milk to fill the cup 
three-fourths full, place a teaspoonful of butter on the top, and 
grate some nutmeg over the surface. Bake in a fairly hot oven 
for thirty minutes and then put the cup in a refrigerator to cool. 

Cream of Rice Pudding. — Take one quart of milk, one-half 
a cupful of rice, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and one saltspoon- 
ful of salt. Put the milk, rice, sugar, and salt together in a pud- 
ding dish, stir until the sugar is dissolved, then place the dish 
in a pan of water and bake in a slow oven for three hours, cut- 
ting into the crust which forms on the top once during this 
tim.e. 

Barley Pudding. — Take two tablespoonfuls of barley flour, 
one tablespoonful of sugar, one saltspoonful of salt, one cupful 
of boiling water, one-half of a cupful of rich milk, and the whites 
of three eggs. IMix the flour, sugar, and salt in a saucepan with 
a little cold water. When smooth and free from lumps, pour 
in the boiling water, slowly stirring to keep it smooth, and then 
set it on the fire to simmer for ten minutes, continuing the stir- 
ring until it is thick. At the end of ten minutes put in the milk 
and strain all into a clean saucepan through a coarse strainer, 
to m.ake the consistency even. Beat the whites of the eggs until 
light but not stiff, and gently stir them into the pudding, mak- 



DIET 177 

ing it thoroughly smooth before returning it to the fire. Cook 
for five minutes, stirring and folding the pudding lightly until 
the egg is coagulated. Then put into a china pudding dish and 
serve cold with cream. 

REGULAR DIET. 

If the patient continues to improve, the regular diet 
is substituted for the soft diet, just as the soft diet was 
substituted for the liquid. The change should be gradual 
at first. The patient must not be allowed to eat pastry, 
heavy puddings, hot bread or any kind of hot cakes, 
highly seasoned or fried foods, crabs, lobsters, or over- 
cooked meats like pork or sausages. All of these are 
to be added gradually. Patient may be allowed meats 
in small quantities, such as a small amount of rare roast 
beef or a small tenderloin steak cooked as above men- 
tioned ; various kinds of game, fish, vegetables and fruits, 
and teas and coffees as desired. This constitutes what is 
known as regular diet. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

INDOOR EXERCISE. 

That the average American girl is handicapped by 
low vitality of the nervous system and a lack of muscular 
development is generally conceded. The consequent pel- 
vic troubles and complicated labors after marriage bring 
us to realize the necessity of building up women physi- 
cally as well as mentally. Too much schooling, music, 
and indoor life, combined with a lack of proper physical 
exercise, lay the foundation for man}^ kinds of female 
trouble. That this truth is realized by the laity as well 
as by the medical profession is proven by the fact that 
in our present-day schools and colleges, and in many 
homes as well, young girls are required to take up gym- 
nasium work or out-of-door sports. Tennis, golf, basket- 
ball, baseball, and horseback riding all help to develop 
a perfect physique. We take it for granted that a great 
many women are so situated that they cannot indulge 
in such outdoor exercises; therefore, we will endeavor to 
outline a series of indoor exercises as a substitute. A 
normal condition of the pelvic organs depends largely 
upon the circulation of those organs, the strength of the 
abdominal muscles and the capacity of the lungs. If we 
<can keep the supporting power of the abdomen in a 



INDOOR EXERCISE 179 

normal condition and the uterus and ovaries and tubes 
maintain their normal position, there is no tendency to 
pelvic congestion. Upon the other hand, if the abdomi- 
nal wall is relaxed as shown in Fig. 91, the diaphragm 
is restricted by improper breathing, the pelvic organs 
become displaced, and congestion results. Indoor exer- 
cises, as they will be outlined, will have a tendency to 
strengthen the abdominal and chest muscles, increase the 
breathing capacity of the lungs, and develop a form 
nearer to perfection, as illustrated in Fig. 92. 

It is true that in early womanhood the muscles are 
stronger and the abdomen does not protrude as it does 
later in life, but perfect development of the abdominal 
muscles in youth will prevent the abdomen from pro- 
truding in later years. 

Indoor exercises are most beneficial in the morning, 
as at this time the circulation is sluggish. If a few min- 
utes are devoted to active movements of the body, the 
action of the heart and lungs is accelerated, the surface 
of the skin soon becomes covered with a slight perspira- 
tion and the regular routine of a cold sponge is followed 
by rapid and healthy reaction. Certain rules must be 
adhered to in taking indoor exercises and they must be 
followed to a letter. 

Rule 1. Have plenty of fresh air in the room, but 



180 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



there should be no draft. Open the windows from the 
top. 

Rule 2. A w^oman should be so dressed that the 






Fig, 91. — Showing- the incorrect position and a relaxed abdominal 
wall. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

Fig. 92 — Showing the correct position, with the abdominal wall con- 
tracted. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 



waist, hips, chest and neck are perfectly free. Pajamas 



INDOOR EXERCISE 



181 



and stockings are all that are required, as shown in 
Fig. 93. 

Rule 3. These exercises should be taken when the 




Fig. 93 — Proper costume for indoor exercises. Pajamas and stock- 
ings. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

stomach and bladder are perfectly empty, — before break- 
fast in the morning or just before retiring in the evening. 
7a— 



182 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

Rule 4. The time devoted to physical culture de- 
pends upon the condition of the patient. From ten to 
twenty minutes and longer if indicated. 

Rule 5. A woman should not omit these exercises 
because she feels tired or lazy. She should continue them 
faithfully, as many cases require some time to obtain the 
desired results. 

Rule 6. A woman sliould coneeiiti-ate her attention 
upon the exercises and the action of the muscles involved. 
If she does not do this she cannot expect to get the best 
results. 

Rule 7. XevcM- exercise too i*ai)idly; take plenty of 
time and after each course of exercise take a 1)rief 
period of absolute muscular rest. If the breathing or 
heart's action is hurried, the patient should lie down and 
rest until they are normal. After each single exercise 
she should rest for a moment in order that she does not 
over-tire the muscles and thereby destroy their pro})er 
action. 

Rule 8. If the exercises are taken in the morning, 
take a cold sponge or spray bath and dry the skin vigor- 
ously with a coarse towel. If they are taken in the even- 
ing, take a warm bath and get into bed at once. The 
number and character of the movements should be regu- 
lated according to the strength of the patient. The 



INDOOR EXERCISE 183 

woman that is in normal health should go through with 
the twelve different exercises every morning. 

SPECIAL DIRECTIONS. 

The best results cannot be attained unless the in- 
structions given above are carried out and the rules 
strictly adhered to. In all the exercises except Xo. 2 
the abdominal muscles should be firmly contracted and 
the lungs filled with air while the various movements 
are being made. If this is not done the muscular strength 
of the abdomen will not be restored and the breathing 
capacity will not be increased. Remember that the good 
eft'ects produced by the exercises will be greatly in- 
creased if the patient breathes deeply and keeps the ab- 
dominal muscles contracted when walking. At first she 
may find this rather difiicult, but gradually as she con- 
tinues the exercises and the muscles regain their tone, 
the effect becomes less marked and in time the abdominal 
walls contract naturally. 

Between each movement the patient should rest ten 
seconds, and during each exercise every movement should 
be repeated from three to fixe times. 

EXERCISE I. 

Deep Breathing. — Place the hands on the sides of 
the body, resting on the hips as illustrated in Fig. 94, 



184 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



and draw in the breath slowly until the kings and chest 
are fully expanded, the shoulders elevated, as seen in 





Fig. 94 — Exercise No. 1, deep breathing. Before the exercise. (Ash- 
ton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

Pig. 95 — Exercise No. 1, deep breathing. The lungs filled with air. 
(Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 



Fig. 95. Hold the breath and contract the abdominal 
muscles for a few seconds, then let the breath go out 



INDOOR EXERCISE 185 

gradually until the air from the lungs is completely ex- 
pelled. Keep the mouth closed and breathe through the 
nose during the exercises. 

EXERCISE 2. 

Contracting the Abdominal Muscles. — Stand erect, 
as in exercise 1, with the hands resting on the hips and 
contract and relax the abdominal muscles. The dotted 
line in Fig. 96 shows the movement of the abdominal 
walls. 

EXERCISE 3. 

Bending the Body Backward. — Stand erect with 
hands on the hips as in Fig. 94; take a full breath, con- 
tract the abdominal muscles and bend the body slowly 
backward, Fig. 97 : then gradually straighten up again 
and expel the air from the lungs. 

EXERCISE 4. 

Bending the Body Forward. — Stand erect with arms 
raised as high as possible above the head, as illustrated in 
Fig. 98, the hands turned forward and the thumbs loosely 
interlocked. Take a full breath, contract the abdominal 
muscles and bend the body forward without bending the 
knees until the tips of the fingers touch the floor. Return 
to the erect position, raise the heels from the floor and 



186 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



expel the air from the lungs as the arms are slowly low- 
ered to the sides of the body. During this exercise the 



^Cr3; 





Fig'. 96 — Exercise No. 2, contracting the abdominal muscles. The 
dotted line shows the movements of the abdominal wall. (Ash- 
ton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

Fig. 97 — Exercise No. 3, bending the body backward. (Ashton's 
Practice of Gynecology.) 

arms and hands must be kept extended. The patient 
may be unable to touch the floor with the tips of the 



INDOOK EXERCISE 187 

fingers at first, but after practicing the exercises from 



?>xV 






/ F 




Fig. 98 — Exercise No. 4, bending- the body forward. First position. 

(Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 
Fig. 99 — Exercise No. 4, bending the body forward. Second position. 

(Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 



188 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



time to time the spinal column becomes flexible and it 
can be accomplished without difficulty, as shown in Fig. 99. 




Fig. ]00 — Exercise No. 5, bending the body sidewnys and forward. 
(Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

EXERCISE 5. 
Bending the Body Sideways and Forward. — These 
movements are similar to those of exercise 4, except that 
the body is bent sideways in place of directly in front, 
the tips of the fingers touching the floor first on one side 
and then on the other as illustrated in Fig. 100. 

EXERCISE 6. 
Bending the Body Sideways. — Stand erect with the 
hands on the hips as shown in Fig. 94; take a full breath, 
contract the abdominal muscles and bend the body first to 



INDOOR EXERCISE 



189 



one side and then to the other as illustrated in Fig. 101. 
Allow the head to follow the movements of the bodv. 





Fig. 101 — Exercise Xo. 6, bending the body sideways. (Ashton's 

Practice of Gynecology.) 
Fig. 102 — Exercise No. 7, twisting the body. (Ashton's Practice of 

Gynecology.) 

EXERCISE 7. 

Twisting the Body. — Stand erect with the hands rest- 
ing on the hips, Fig. 91, heels close together, thighs rigid: 



190 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



take a full breath, contract the abcloininal muscles and 
twist the body several times from one side to the other 





Fig. 103 — Exercise No. 8, squatting-. First position. (Ashton's 
Practice of Gynecology.) 

Fig. 104 — Exercise No. 8, squatting. Second position. (Ashton's 
Practice of Gynecology.) 



as far as possible, Fig. 102. Allow the head to follow the 
movements of the body as in Exercise 6. 



INDOOR EXERCISE 



191 



EXERCISE 8. 
Squatting. — Stand erect with hands on the hips, 
heels separated about four inches as illustrated in Fig. 





Fig. 105 — Exercise No. 9, raising the body. First position. (Ash- 
ton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

Fig. 106 — Exercise No. 9, raising the bodj'. Second position. (Ash- 
ton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

103; take a full breath, contract the abdominal muscles 
and slowly assume a sitting or crouching position with 
the buttocks close to the heels. Fig. 104; then straighten 
up again and expel the air from the lungs. 



192 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

EXERCISE 9. 

Raising the Body. — Lie flat on the floor Avith the legs 
extended, feet close together, hands resting on the hips 
as illustrated in Feg. 105. Take a full breath, contract the 




Fig-. 107 — Exercise No. 10, raising both legs at the same time. (Ash- 
ton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

abdominal muscles and raise the trunk slowly until a sit- 
ting position is attained as shown in Fig. 106. Then 
gradually let the body return to the floor and expel the 
air from the lungs. During this exercise keep the spine 
straight, the shoulders well back and the chest expanded. 



INDOOR EXERCISE 



193 



At first in order to assist the abdominal muscles and 
steady the legs it would be a good idea to place the feet 
under a bureau or couch. 




Fig-. lOS^Exercise No. 10, raising the legs alternately. 
Practice of Gynecology.) 



(Ashton's 



EXERCISE 10. 

Raising the Legs. — Lie flat on the floor with the feet 
close together, hands on the hips; take a full breath, 
contract the abdominal muscles and slowly raise the legs 
straight up to a right angle with the body, Fig. 107 ; then 
return to the original position and expel the air from the 



194 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



lungs. At first the patient may not be able to raise both 
legs at the same time. If not, she should elevate first one 
and then the other, Fig. 108, until the muscles become 
strong enough to accomplish the regular movement. 

EXERCISE 11. 

The Dip Movement.— The i)atient should lie on the 
stomach and chest with the ])alms of the hands flat on 
the floor close to the sides of the body, toes somewhat 
bent and the feet close together, Fig. 109. Take a full 
breath, contract the abdominal nmscles and raise the 
body on the hands and toes by slowly extending the arms, 
Fig. 110; lower the l)ody to \ho oi-iginal position, Fig. 
109, and expel the air from the lungs. 




Fig-, 109 — Exercise No. 11, the dip movement. First position. (Asli- 
ton's Practice of Gynecology.) 



EXERCISE 12. 

Raising- the Body Backwards. — Lie on the stomach 
and chest, hands placed on the hips, legs extended, toes 
out straight, and chest resting on the floor. Fig. 111. 



INDOOR EXERCISE 



195 



Take a full breath, contract the abdomiual muscles and 
slowly raise the body and head as far as possible, Fif. 
112. Lower the body to the original position. Fig. Ill, 
and expel the air from the lungs. Rest as directed in 
special instructions and repeat. 




Fig". 110 — Exercise No. 11, the dip movement. Second position. 
(Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 




Fig-. Ill — Exercise No. 12, raising- the body backward. First position. 
(Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 




Fig. 112 — Exercise No. 12, raising the body backward. Second po- 
sition. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 



CHAPTER XXII. 



HOT APPLICATIONS. 



The methods in which water may be applied to the 
human body for the relief of various diseased conditions 
are many. We will endeavor to give the technique of 
applications in general with special attention to the dis- 




Fig. 113 — A hot water bottle. It should be only partly filled with 
hot warer. The air should be expelled before screwing in the 
stopper. 

eases of women. Hot applications applied in an exact 
and scientific manner as tested by practical experience 
are reliable and essential in assisting the physician to 
relieve a great deal of the inflammation and suffering 
that is peculiar to women. This fact is often lost sight 



HOT APPLICATIONS 



197 



of or neglected altogether. As a rule when hot applica- 
tions are ordered by the physician, and such methods are 
employed, little or no benefit is obtained. This is ofttimes 
due to the fact that the physician is not familiar with 
the subject of hydrotherapy and does not give the proper 





Fig. 114 — Showing the electrotherm as used in place of the hot water 
bottle. (This outfit can be purchased from H. 'W. Johns-Man- 
ville Co., Seattle, Wash. 

instructions to the patient or attendant, who applies the 
heat in a crude way and gains no results. If we wish to 
give medicine for a certain condition we must have a 
knowledge of its action and know the results we expect 
to get from its use. Therefore, it is essential for the 



198 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

physician to thoroughly understand the action of heat 
and carefully instruct his patients in the technique of its 
application. 

Effects of Heat. — We make use of hot applications 
chiefly to relieve pain in chronic and acute conditions. 
The effect will depend upon the degree of heat and the 
duration of the application. Excessive heat causes the 
blood vessels to contract and prevents the spreading of 
the inflammation. A more moderate heat will cause the 
small blood vessels to dilate and increase the blood sup- 
ply to the parts. In that way it controls the inflammation 
by absorbing tlie poison or fluid which may be in the 
tissues and causing the disease, and carries it to other 
parts of the body to be eliminated by the bowels and 
kidneys. But no beneficial results can be expected if 
the applications are applied in a haphazard or careless 
manner. All details must be thoroughly carried out. 

The Technique of Hot Applications. — In using hot 
applications on the abdomen for various pelvic troubles 
the heat must be applied continuously and kept at an 
even temperature. This is best accomplished by the use 
of the hot water bottle, Fig. 113, or the electrotherm, Fig. 
114. The electrotherm is composed of wires protected by 
asbestos. It is light and can be connected with an ordi- 
nary electric light socket and is provided with a regulat- 
ing switch so the heat can be increased or lessened as 
desired. This method of applying heat has many advan- 



HOT APPLICATIONS 



199 




200 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

tages over the use of the hot water bottle and when dry 
heat is ordered it has no equal. 

When moist heat is applied locally as illustrated in 
Fig. 115, the hot water bottle or electrotherm is placed 
upon the moist dressing to keep it at an even tempera- 
ture. This is the only way to secure the best results. 

The articles required for turpentine stoops or moist 
applications are illustrated in Fig. 116. A piece of flan- 
nel should be folded two or three thicknesses so as to 
cover the parts to which the heat is to be applied. It 
should be wrung out of hot water by using the apparatus 

illustrated in Fig. 116 and when quite dry should be 
placed directly upon the skin and covered with a piece 
of oiled silk. Over this is placed a piece of woolen 
blanket or a Turkish towel and over all the hot water 
bottle or electrotherm. The moist dressings should be 
changed often enough to keep them both moist and hot. 
Sometimes the turpentine is placed in the water, using 
a teaspoonful to a quart of water, but a better plan is to 
mix the turpentine with an equal amount of hot lard 
and after heating the abdomen with the moist applica- 
tions the hot turpentine and lard is rubbed in thor- 
oughly. Then the moist applications are applied as di- 
rected above. The temperature of the water should be as 
hot as can be borne by the patient. Some can bear much 
more heat than others, so there is no fixed temperature by 
which one may be guided. 



f 



HOT APPLICATIONS 201 

THE HOT BLANKET PACK. 

When the hot blanket pack is nsed the entire body 
is enveloped in a woolen blanket wrung out of water as 
hot as can be endured by the patient. In employing a 
hot pack of this sort the technique is of value and must 
be carefully followed if one wishes to obtain the best 
results. It is necessary to have a bed with a good mat- 
tress, a small pillow, four or five woolen blankets, a 
rubber blanket, three or four common glass bottles or the 
ordinary hot water bottles filled with hot water, and a 
vessel similar to the ordinary washtub filled with water 
at a temperature of one hundred and sixty degrees. 

Method of Application. — The pillow is placed upon 
the bed and the rubber sheet is spread out, the upper 
edge just covering the pillow. All but one of the woolen 
blankets are spread out smoothly one after another, the 
upper part being even with the rubber sheet. Now one 
woolen blanket is placed in the water and wrung out 
as quickly as possible. This is best accomplished by two 
persons taking hold of the ends of the blanket and twist- 
ing it in opposite directions until it is as dry as it is 
possible to make it. It is then spread out upon the dry 
blanket, and the patient, having been previously dis- 
robed, lies down in the center of the blanket and is 
quickly enveloped in the following manner: 

The arms are extended above the head and one side 
of the blanket is drawn across the body and brought well 



202 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 




HOT APPLICATIONS 203 



1 — A small pan containing hot lard and turpentine, equal parts. 

2— Ordinarj^ wash bowl. 

3 — Pitcher filled with boiling hot water. 

4— Oiled silk. 

5 — Flannel cloth three or four layers thick. 

6 — Turkish towel. 

7 — A wringer made by taking a small towel and turning the 
ends over, thereby making loops through which are thrust 
two small sticks. (An old broom handle sawed the right 
length answers the purpose very well.) The loops can be 
sewed fast or pinned with safety pins. 

8 — Showing how the flannel cloth is wrung by twisting the 
sticks in opposite directions. When this method is em- 
ployed the hands do not need to come in contact with the 
hot water. The wringer is placed in the basin, the cloth 
is laid upon it, and enough hot water is poured over it to 
completely saturate the flannel. It is now^ raised out of the 
water by the use of the sticks, wroung and applied as di- 
rected. 



204 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

up under the arms and tucked closely along the side of 
the body. From the hips down the blanket is tucked 
around the leg of the corresponding side, leaving the 
other leg uncovered. Now the patient lowers the arms 
and holds them close to the sides, and the other side of 
the blanket is passed over and tucked in. A fold of thp 
blanket is made to fit closely around the neck, but should 
Qot be tight enough to interfere with the breathing or 
circulation of the blood. The farther edge of the blanket 
is drawn across the patient and tucked under the shoulder, 
side and legs with great care. A fold is made over the 
farther shoulder in like manner. The blanket is stretched 
out by pulling each end and is doubled under at the foot. 
The dry sheet is now brought over each side around the 
shoulders and protects the face and neck from contact 
with the hot blanket and at the same time keeps out the 
air. Two or more of the dry blankets which were first 
placed on the couch are folded over, and hot water bottles 
are placed at the feet and along the sides of the body to 
increase the heat. 

Great care must be taken not to burn the patient, as 
this accident often occurs. There are many conditions in 
which this hot blanket pack is very useful and will give 
good results, but it should be employed only when ordered 
by the attending physician. After the desired eflfect is 
obtained the wet blankets are quickly removed and the 
patient dried and given an alcoholic rub. 



HOT APPLICATIONS 205 

We have not mencionecl any special disease or con- 
ditions in which hot applications are employed, as this 
book is not written with the intention of teaching how to 
diagnose and treat disease. Onr desire has been to in- 
strnct yon in the manner of applying and reasons for hot 
applications. Yonr physician will prescribe them if they 
are necessary. 




CHAPTER XXIIl. 

COLD APPLICATIONS. 

Cold applications applied locally produce various 
effects. If an ice-bag is placed over a large artery it 
lessens the circulation; that is, an ice-bng applied to the 
elbow would lessen the circulation in the hand. An ice- 
bag placed over the heart will lessen the rate of blood 
movement through the body if it is apj)li(Hl contiiniously 
for several hours, but when only for m short time it in- 
creases the hearths action. Therefore, a general cold ap- 
plication is a powerful heart tonic. The effect of cold 
upon the mucous membranes is about the same as when 
applied to the skin. A quantity of cold water taken into 
the stomach produces a greater effect than if applitul to 
an equal area of skin. 

Local ice-bags applied to the head or abdomen are 
generally used to relieve acute troubles like the beginning 
of appendicitis or pelvic inflammation. Or, they may be 
used to relieve headaches and congestions due to high 
fevers like typhoid. They are, however, rarely used in 
chronic cases. 

The most convenient way of applying ice is illus- 
trated in Fig. 117, the ice-bag. The ice is broken up in 
fine pieces and placed in the ice-bag, which should not 



COLD APPLICATIONS 207 

be filled too full. The air should be expelled before the 
cap is screwed on, so that it will fit closely to the body, as 
in Fig. 118, which illustrates the correct and incorrect 
method of application. The ice-bag is placed directly on 
the skin and allowed to remain there an hour or more. 
The head caps are so made that they fit the head closely. 
Ice-bags are also used on the spine. They may be applied 
several times daily, sometimes continuously for several 
hours, but if the continuous method of application is em- 
ployed, several layers of sheeting, towels or muslin should 




Fig-. 117 — Showing- the ice-bag, 

be placed between the skin and the ice-bag. When none 
of the above appliances are at hand a convenient way is 
to wrap the broken ice in a Turkish towel, which should 
be pinned closely over it. If flattened out in the form 
of a pad, it will conform itself to the part to which it is 
applied. 

Cold applications in the way of baths and cold packs 
are used to reduce temperature. These are applied by 
laying towels on or wrapping the patient in a sheet wrung 



208 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



out of cold water. The sheet is applied in the same way 
as the hot blanket pack. 

When administered in the form of a sponge bath or 
shower these applications are very stimulating and bring 
about a reaction. They have a tendency to increase deep 
breathing, stimulate the heart, increase the amount of 
urine, harden the skin, and strengthen the system. The 
duration should be very brief and immediately followed 
by friction ami exercise. Some women cannot n^spond 




Fig. 118 — Showing- the correct and incorrect method of applying tlie 
ice-bag. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) (a) Incorrect, 
(b) Correct. It should lay flat on the surface of the body. 



to the reaction quickly enough to obtain the desired 
results, so care must be taken at the beginning of such a 
treatment. 

The cold foot bath, with the water at a temperature 
of forty to fifty degrees, is emi)loyed for a few minutes, 
sometimes with beneficial results. It seems to have a 
tendencv to stimulate the circulation of the brain. It 



COLD APPLICATIONS 209 

also has a decided influence in causing the contraction 
of the blood vessels and muscles of the uterus and the 
organs connected Avitli it. Some authorities claim that 
the blood vessels of the liver, bladder, intestines and 
stomach are made to contract at the same time. While 
taking the bath the feet should be continually rubbed by 
an attendant or the patient may rub one foot against 
the other in order to keep up a continual friction. The 
foot bath must not be used when there is chronic inflam- 
mation of the pelvic organs, liver, kidneys or stomach. 
In these cases the applications should be hot. 

Cold compresses are applied in the same manner as 
hot ; that is, the piece of flannel, similar to that used for 
hot compresses, is soaked in ice water one or two minutes 
and then wrung as dry as possible with the hands. They 
should be changed every three or four minutes. These 
cold compresses may be applied to any part of the body 
for various acute conditions. When applied to extensive 
parts, as the spine, the treatment should not be continued 
until the skin becomes blue or numb. - In this case the 
compress should be removed for a few minutes and the 
surface rubbed with a piece of warm, dry flannel until 
the skin becomes quite red. 

When using the ice-bag or cold compress, it is well to 
place a rather thick woolen cloth next to the body to 
avoid excessive chilling of the skin. If the ice-bag is 



210 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

applied directly to the skin great care must be exercised 
to prevent the tissue from becoming injured, and the 
application must be removed for a few minutes every half 
hour and the parts rubbed so that reaction may occur. 
The effect is better if the cloth laid upon the skin is 
saturated with cold water and wruni»- as dry as possible 
with the hands. 

The ice-bag or compress may be used for all acute 
Anflammations of the uterus, tubes, ovaries, bladder, or 
for appendicitis. Compresses are appli(Hl immediately to 
burns, especially scalds, as a means of giving grent relief. 
In fact, ice may be applied to any part of the body wh(^re 
a diseased or inflamed condition is just beginning to de- 
velop. It is also employed in cases of hemorrhage, as 
bleeding from the lungs. Placed over the stomach, the 
ice-bag will often check vomiting. Bleeding from the 
nose may be checked by cold compresses placed on the 
face or on the upper part of the spine. Ice is also used 
for throat trouble. 

The action of ice or cold compresses depends upon 
the place of application and the length of time that it is 
kept on. They should be used only when ordered by a 
physician, as prolonged applications will do serious injury 
and lower the vitality of the tissue quite rapidly. Ice 
water compresses will produce a more cooling effect than 
the ice-bag. The very cold compress is valuable in many 



COLD APPLICATIONS 211 

cases, but must be used with great •discretion. Heat may 
be used in almost any instance, while, on the other hand, 
the application of the ice-bag and ice compress will do 
serious injury if not properly watched and attended to. 




CHAPTER XXIV. 

BATHS. 

Frequent bathing is necessary to keep the skin in a 
normal and healthy condition. If women were thoughtful 
about keeping the stomach and bowels in good condition 
and the surface of the body clean there would be much 
less sickness and ill health. To fully realize the beneficial 
effects of proper bathing, however, the time of day, the 
method employed, the position of the patient, the dura- 
tion, the temperature and quantity of the Avater, the 
proper exercise to bring on a reaction, the time devoted 
to rest, and the temperature of the bathroom should 
be considered and the following instructions i)roperly 
carried out. Baths should not be given in a haphazard 
or careless manner, as this many times does more harm 
than good. 

Time. — Warm or hot baths should be taken at night 
just before retiring or in the afternoon, if the patient can 
lie down afterwards. Stimulating baths like the cold 
spray, shower, or sponge should be taken in the morning 
immediately after rising. It is impossible to give a fixed 
rule for every case, as conditions vary, so the patient 
must select the best and most convenient time for treat- 
ment. 



BATHS 213 

Method Employed. — Owing to the cost of the modern 
bathroom fixtures many are debarred from possessing 
them and must therefore substitute such appliances as 
they can afford. Often a home apparatus which will 
give the desired results can be fixed up at a very nominal 
cost. The elaborate needle and shower baths are an ex- 
pensive luxury. The Home Needle Spray, which is 
manufactured by the Holmes Manufacturing Company 
of this city, is the cheapest and best apparatus of its kind 
on the market. In giving the technique of the different 
baths we will endeavor to make it plain and practical, so 
that no woman need be deprived of the benefits of proper 
bathing. 

The Position of the Patient depends upon the kind 
of bath, the method employed, and the results desired. 
There are three positions, standing, lying and sitting, 
each of which will be duly considered. 

The Temperature of the Water is one of the most 
important factors, and too much attention cannot be given 
it. As previously mentioned, heat or cold may do great 
harm if applied in a haphazard way. In every case it 
should be decided whether a quick or slow stimulation 
is required, whether one wishes to relax the tissue or 
relieve pain, and the temperature of the Avater should be 
regulated accordingly. A thermometer should always 
be used to take the temperature. Otherwise the action 
8a— 



214 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

of the heat or cold cannot be regulated, and consequently 
no beneficial results will follow. The ordinary bath ther- 
mometer should be employed and the patient should 
know how to use it. The temperature of the cold bath 
should be from fifty to seventy-five degrees; the tepid 
bath, seventy-five to ninety-five ; the Avarm bath, ninety- 
five to one hundred and four; the hot bath, one hundred 
and four to one hundred and twenty. 

The Duration of the Bath depends upon the desired 
results. The cold bath, in the form of a shower, plunge, 
or sponge of brief duration, is stimulating in its action 
upon the general system because the reaction is rapid 
and there is no shock. If it were prolonged the patient 
would be chilled and serious results would follow. The 
hot bath is prolonged for some time in order to cause 
permanent contractions of the blood vessels and the 
necessary relaxation of the tissue. 

Exercise. — After a cold bath in any form there should 
be quick, vigorous rubbing of the skin with a Turkish 
towel to bring the blood to the surface. This should not 
be neglected, because if there is no reaction the brief cold 
application will be very depressing and lower the vitality. 
When hot baths or local hot applications are employed 
this friction is not necessary. 

Rest. — The patient should rest after taking a warm 



BATHS 215 

bath. Consequently it should be taken just before retir- 
ing'. However, the condition of the patient has much 
to do with the amount of rest required. Some patients 
require more rest than others, and some do not care to 
lie down at all after taking a bath in the afternoon. 
Each patient must be a law unto herself in regard to this, 
but it is best that a warm or hot bath be followed by a 
period of rest. This is not so important after a cold bath. 
Temperature of the Room. — The bath should be taken 
in a room that is quite warm. The temperature should 
be ascertained by a thermometer and should be from 
seventy-five to eighty degrees. 

The Kinds of Baths. — It is very difficult to go into 
sufficient detail in this small volume to give a clear con- 
ception of so large a subject and the good results that 
can be obtained by the proper baths. The attending phy- 
sician will suggest the kind of bath best suited to the 
patient. We will discuss the technicpie of the different 
methods under separate headings. 

The Full Bath is one in whieli the entire body is 
covered with water. It may be any temperature, but 
the hot bath at one hundred and four degrees is generally 
used. The patient should remain in the water from ten 
to twenty minutes. It should be taken in the evening, as 
it has a verv sedative effect, causes a general relaxation 



216 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



and produces sleep and rest. After the skin has been 
thoroughly dried with a soft towel which will not cause 
much friction, the patient should go to bed immediately, 
no exercise being necessary. Special conditions might 
exist in which it would be necessary to prolong the bath, 
but this should be done only under the directions of the 
attending physician. 




Fig. 119 — Showing the half bath. The tub is partly filled with water 
so that when the patient lies clown in it only half of the body 
is covered. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 



A full cold bath is employed in some cases, but as a 
general rule we do not recommend it. The cold spray 
which is illustrated in Fig. 122 is more beneficial. 

A full tepid bath at seventy-five to ninety-five de- 
grees may be taken in the afternoon, the duration being 
but a few minutes. The skin should be dried by friction 
with a coarse towel, and as a certain amount of exercise 
is necessary to bring about a reaction, we would advise 
following out the instructions given in Chapter XXI, 
INDOOK EXERCISE. 



BATHS 



217 



The Half Bath may also be taken in the afternoon, 
so that the patient may have an opportunity to rest before 
dinner, exercise being unnecessary. The tub is partly 
filled with water so that when the patient lies down the 
body is only about half covered, Fig. 119. 

It is well to have an attendant when taking this bath, 
so that the part of the body that is not covered may be 




Fig. 120 — Showing- the adjustable spray which may be attached to 
any batlitub. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

vigorously rubbed, especially over the chest and abdomen. 
A patient can do this herself, but when it is possible 
to afford a nurse it is much better to have one. The 
temperature of this bath should be from seventy to eighty 
degrees. The duration should be from ten to fifteen 
minutes. The patient then sits up in the tub and the 



218 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

spine and shoulders should be sponged with water a little 
bit colder than the bath water. A sponge should be 
used. The sponge should last only a few seconds and 
be followed by vigorous friction with a coarse towel, 
after which the patient should be wrapped warmly and 
lie down half an hour before dressing. A woman who is 
in perfect health and of the average physique can take 
this bath without an attendant and obtain very good 
results. Every part of the body can be rubbed by grasp- 
ing an end of the towel in each hand and drawing it 
across the back or any part of the body. 

The Sponge Bath, like the full bath, may be given 
at several different degrees of temperature. The tech- 
nique is practically the same. It may be given in bed 
or in a standing position, and consists of applying water 
to the surface of the body by means of a wet sponge or 
towel. The cold sponge is best given in the morning and 
after exercising. Here again the cold spray is recom- 
mended to the reader rather than the cold sponge. Ofttimes 
a sponge bath is given alternately; that is, first cold and 
then warm. The body is then dried and vigorous friction 
with a coarse towel is applied. It is best for the patient 
to stand in the tub and have the basins filled with water 
of the desired temperature, the one about seventy-five 
and the other about one hundred and twenty. The cold 
sponge is often used to reduce temperature in fevers. 



BATHS 219 

When the warm sponge bath is given, vigorous friction 
is not necessary. 

When the sponge bath is given in bed a rubber sheet 
is placed under the patient, the clothes removed and a 
woolen blanket thrown over the body. It is best to use 
fifty per cent, each of alcohol and tepid water at eighty 
degrees. The nurse then rapidly sponges the body, face, 
neck and extremities. The skin is dried with a soft 
towel and the clothes replaced. The sponge should be 
dipped in the basin frequently and not sciueezed too dry. 
To secure the best results plenty of water should be 
applied to the skin. The body should be thoroughly pro- 
tected with warm blankets and only that part that is 
being sponged exposed. If the entire body were exposed 
there would be danger of the patient taking cold from 
the uneciual chilling. The sponge bath has a tonic and 
stimulating effect. When it is employed to control the 
temperature the bath is generally used as cold as can be 
borne by the patient, and in that case it recjuires more 
time than when simply used as a tonic. The sponge 
bath for fever is often given in the tepid temperature; 
that is, from seventy-five to ninety-five degrees. 

The Spray Bath is one of the most useful methods of 
giving tonic effect. Certain apparatus is necessary that 
the water may be thrown on the surface of the body in 
fine divided streams. Shower and needle baths are gen- 



220 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



erally found in houses of the wealthy, but for those who 
cannot afford the expensive apparatus there are a num- 
ber of cheaper outfits that answer every purpose. An 




Fig. 121 — Showing a spray apparatus with rubber sheet attached. 
(Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

adjustable spray, as illustrated in Pig. 120, is attached to 
the bathtub and the hot and cold water mixed as desired. 
A spray apparatus with a rubber sheet attached, as illus- 



BATHS 



221 



^jgSiS^^=^ 



1 




Fig. 122 — This illustrates the Home Needle Spray attached to the 
bathtub. It gives a very fine spray and is under perfect con- 
trol so that the temperature of the water can be perfectly regu- 
lated. 



222 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

trated in Fig. 121, is inexpensive and very effective. 
The Home Needle Spray^ Avhich is illustrated in Fig. 122, 
is the cheapest and best apparatus of the kind that we 
are familiar with. It may easily be attached to any bath- 
tub. 

In houses which have no running Avater the spray 
can be administered as illustrated in Fig. 123. In this 
case the patient stands in an ordinary washtub and the 
rubber bag or reservoir is filled with water of the proper 
temperature and suspended fi'om the wall the same as 
the douche bag. The spray is then directed against the 
surface of the body as desired. The value of the batli 
depends upon the force and temperature of the water. 
For this reason we are mucli in favor of the Home Needle 
Spray, Fig. 122, as it can be perfectly controlled. The 
height of the bag Avill diminish or increase the force as 
desired. 

The spray is of a tonic nature and should be taken 
on getting out of bed in the morning. The temperature 
of the water should be from fifty to eighty degrees. No 
other bath is so invigorating and from no other can such 
splendid results be obtained. It may be given in all 
temperatures of water, and it is useful to both the sick 
and well, the strong and weak, and to all who would 
gain and retain perfect health. It stimulates the circu- 
lation, sends the blood bounding through the veins and 



BATHS 



223 



freshens and stimulates the entire system. Women who 
are inclined to be a little sluggish and do not feel extra 




Fig-. 123 — Showing- how the fountain syringe and sprinkler are usea 
as a substitute for the spray bath when the home is not sup- 
plied with running- water. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 

well will derive great benefit from the use of the spray 
bath every morning. Figs. 121 and 123 are more in the 



224 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

order of a shower than a spray. AVhen using the sub- 
stitute for the spray as illustrated in Fig. 123, it is 
necessary that a nozzle like the one in Fig. 124 be at- 
tached to the fountain syringe and the water prepared 
in the basin and then poured into the bag. The entire 
body should be treated with the spray and the duration 
should not be more than a few seconds. It must be fol- 




Fig-. 124 — The adjustable spray which should be used in connection 
with the fountain syringe. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 



lowed by vigorous friction with a coarse towel. When 
using the Home Needle Spray the patient should turn 
around three or four times, w^hicli will be sufficient when 
using the cold spray. This is much better than a cold 
sponge or a cold full bath. The spray can be used at 
any temperature that is desired, from hot to cold or vice 
versa. It should last only a minute or so, alternating 



BATHS 



225 



first from cold to hot. Any temperature of the spray 
should be followed b}^ a vigorous rubbing with a coarse 
towel. 

The Sitz Bath. — When a woman desires to take a 
sitz bath she must have a special form of tub, as illus- 
trated in Fig. 125. The water should be on a level with 
the umbilicus when the patient is sitting in the tub, and 




Fig-. 125 — Sitz bath tub — Ashton Practice of Gynecology. 



she should have a blanket thrown around her to protect 
her from exposure. The sitz bath is stimulating to the 
pelvic and abdominal organs if it is taken at a low 
temperature, and it is a pain reliever when taken hot. 
The cold sitz bath is generally taken in the afternoon, 
the duration being from ten to twentv minutes. The 



226 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



patient should be quickly dried and allowed to rest for 
an hour before being dressed. The best time to take 
the hot sitz bath is just before going to bed, as there is 
no need for any exercise after the hot bath. The tempera- 




Fig-. 126 — This shows the cabinet and apparatus necessary for tak- 
ing a Turkisli bath at liome. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 



ture should be from one hundred and four to one hun- 
dred and twenty and the bath should last half an hour, 
as the object is to relieve congestion or pain in the pelvis. 
The patient should be quickly dried and placed in bed, 



BATHS 



227 



no nibbing being reqnired in this case. Tlie sitz bath 
is also employed in cases of painful menstruation. 

The Turkish Bath.— In order to take a Turkish bath 
certain paraphernalia is necessary if one wishes to take 
the bath at home instead of at the regular Turkish-bath 
houses. But few are so equipped that ladies can attend, 
so it is best to have an outfit that can be used at home. 




Fig-. 12 7 — The style of gas stove used for heating- the Turkish bath 
cabinet. (Ashton's Practice of Gynecology.) 



Fig. 126 illustrates a cabinet that is especially built for 
this purpose. These cabinets are very serviceable and 
answer every purpose. Fig. 127 shows the style of gas 
stove that supplies the heat. The alcohol lamps are 
somewhat dangerous and should be handled with great 
care. Those whose houses are supplied with gas shoukl 
purchase one of these small gas stoves, which are very 
cheap, and use it in place of the alcohol lamp. A wooden 



228 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



kitchen chair should be placed in the cabinet, a pad of 
asbestos placed under the chair, and the stove connected 
with the gas burner should be placed upon the pad. 
Another round asbestos pad is placed on the stove. A 




Fig. 128 — Illustrating method of giving a sheet bath. (Ashton's 
Practice of Gynecology.) 

towel is now folded on the chair and another on the 
floor for the feet to rest on. In many cases it is well to 
have a basin filled with hot water in which to place the 
feet while taking the sweat. The amount of heat can be 



BATHS 229 

regulated when the gas stove is used, which is not the 
case with an alcohol lamp. The cabinet should be heated 
ten or fifteen minutes before getting in. It is well to drink 
two or three glasses of water before entering the cabinet. 
Kemain in fifteen to twenty minutes. Place a towel 
Avhicli has been wrung out of cold water around the neck 
to prevent the hot air from striking the face. Imme- 
diately after getting out of the cabinet take a spray bath 
at a temperature of one hundred to one hundred and 
twenty degrees. This should last only a minute or two. 
Then change to a cold spray for a few seconds. Dry 
the skin with a coarse towel and lie down and rest for 
an hour, or go to bed if the bath is taken at bedtime, 
which is best. Xo exercise is necessar}^ After the 
patient is in the cabinet a few minutes the perspiration 
will appear and in a short time be very general. The 
duration of the bath varies in each case. Soine women 
require a longer time than others to produce free perspira- 
tion, but if the patient is strong enough to stand the 
heat it should be continued until the sweating is very 
profuse. Yet, if at any time there is a feeling of fullness, 
throbbing in the head, palpitation of the heart, or a faint 
Eeeling, the patient should get out of the cabinet at once. 
A cold cloth applied to the head will ofttimes prevent 
such unfavorable symptoms and make the patient feel 
quite comfortable. The frequency of the Turkish bath 



230 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

depends largely upon the condition of the patient, but 
the average woman should take one once a month. It is 
a good eliminator of poisons from the systems and keeps 
the pores in good condition. 

The Sheet Bath is given as illustrated in Fig. 128, 
and is used as a stimulant and tonic. Women avIio are 
physically and mentally exhausted Avill receive great 
benefit from this sort of a bath, which should be given 
in the following manner: A washtub or bathtub should 
contain a sufficient amount of water at a temperature of 
fifty to seventy-five degrees. A muslin sheet ami towel 
are immersed in the water. The patient stands beside the 
tub and the nurse takes the shei^t out of the water and 
quickly wrings it dry and Avraps it completely around 
the patient's body. She then wrings the water ont of the 
towel and rapidly slaps the entire surface of the body 
with it. The strokes should be (piick and shai-p and kept 
up two or three miinites. Tlu^ sheet is then removed, the 
skin dried with a coarse towel, and the patient wrapped 
in a woolen blanket and alloweil to rest for an hour. 
This kind -of bath should be foUowcMl l)y a general 
massage if it is possible to afford it. 



I 



I 



CHAPTER XXV. 

WATER DRINKING. 

The subject of water drinking is neglected both by 
the laity and physician. The importance of water in the 
treatment of diseases and as a part of the diet is fre- 
quently underestimated. Patients are seldom instructed 
as to the amount of water to drink, its temperature and 
its effect if taken with the meals or on an empty stomach. 

AVater flushes the entire system by increasing the 
quantity of the urine, stimulates the action of the bowels, 
increases perspiration, assists in throwing oft' impurities 
from the lungs and puts them in a condition to more 
readily receive oxygen. As a result of these impressions 
upon the organs of the body in the process of elimina- 
tion and throwing oft' waste matter in the tissues, lime 
and other salts are removed. These results depend not 
only on the quantity and quality of the water (important 
factors), but upon its temperature and time when taken 
into the stomach. The general effect of heat and cold 
are identically the same whether applied externally or 
internally. Thus, we find that when we drink hot or cold 
water the eff'ect is exactly the same as if cold or heat 
were applied to the skin. 



232 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

QUALITY. 

All drinking water should be pure and should con- 
tain no infection in the form of germs or mineral salts. 
Many fevers result from the use of impure water. The 
fact that water has been boiled and that it is free from 
material of an infectious nature does not make it of a 
high quality. 

The purer the water the greater its absorbing power, 
and consequently it carries off a hirger amount of im- 
purities through the excretory organs. Hard water, be- 
cause of its limited absorbing qualities, is of little use. 

Contrary to the general idea, all the mineral salts 
nesessary to the preservation of health are contained in 
food substances. The amount of harm done by mineral 
matter is water is incalculable. Lime deposits are formed 
in the tissues. The excretory organs are locked up, so 
to speak, because the liver and kidneys cannot 2)erform 
their functions properly. 

Many persons deceive themselves by the use of a 
filter. This custom cannot be too strongly condemned. 
Mineral salts are held in the solution, and, too, if the 
filter is not kept perfectly clean it becomes a source of 
germ infection. 

The ideal drinking water is the distilled water. It 
is absolutely pure, does not contain any poison, is free 
from all mineral matter and has a great power of dis- 



WATER DRINKING 233 

solving and absorbing waste matter with which it comes 
in contact in circulating through the system. It has 
been put to a practical test. It has been used by men 
of the American army and navy for years and the sick 
rate has decreased to a marked degree. 

Everyone should distill the water for his own use at 
a nominal cost, and in the end it would be much cheaper 
than being a victim of any of the diseases that come from 
improper care of the body. There are water distillers 
on the market that are very simple in construction and 
can be obtained at a nominal cost. If it is impossible 
to obtain distilled water, use one as free as possible from 
germ infection and mineral salts. Some of the natural 
waters that are on the market contain a very small 
amount of earthv matter. 



QUANTITY. 

The average individual in normal health should drink 
at least one cjuart of water each day. The system will 
often demand twice the amount. Every woman should 
practice and form the habit of drinking a glass of water 
immediately upon getting out of bed in the morning and 
just before retiring at night. If it is taken into the. 
stomach in the morning it washes out the mucous, stimu- 
lates the action of the intestines and improves the appe- 



234 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

tite and general tone of the entire system. It is best not 
to take too much liquid with the meals, because a large 
amount dilutes the digestive fluid. If taken cold, as 
ice water, it will have a tendency to cause indigestion. 
It is important, therefore, that the largest amount of 
water taken during the day should be when the stomach 
is empty. A period of two hours after meals should be 
allowed before much Avater is taken into the stomach. 
It may be taken a short time before meals, as it rapidly 
absorbs and does not mix Avith the food that is taken 
shortly afterwards. The quantity and temperature of 
the water, as well as the time of administration, nuist be 
regulatinl l)y the condition and ])ecn)iarities of the case. 
When hot water is used to aid <ligesti()n it must be taken 
one hour before meals aiul as hot as can be ])()rne. We 
have learned in a ])revi()us cha])tei' that one of the causes 
of constipation, Avith its evil effects, is the lack of the 
proper amount of watei-. Therefore, w(^ advise you to 
drink a sufficient amount of Avater to carry off the Avaste 
matter. Keep the internal organs as Avell as the external 
surface clean and regard Avater drinking of as much im- 
portance as the bath. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

THE WOULD-BE DOCTOR. 

The term doctor is frequently misapplied. It is ap- 
propriated by persons who have given a slight amount 
of study to any one of the numerous branches of medi- 
cine. The real physician must have become master of 
the whole field of the science of the treatment of disease. 
A close student and a keen observer, he must have the 
facilities to put his knowledge to practical use. By no 
means are these qualities required from the number who 
administer to the ills of the unfortunate today. 

Xew methods of treating diseases spring up like 
mushrooms. The practitioner may be a regular or an 
eclectic, a homeopath or an osteopath, a magnetic healer 
or a chiropractor. Whatever the branch of medicine, 
there may be found in it illiterate persons or those of a 
very limited education. 

Every doctor, regardless of the school he folloAvs, 
should be frank and honest with his patients. If he is 
not sure of his diagnosis or does not know what is the 
matter with his patient he should be man enough to 
acknowledge the fact. If honesty were only practiced 
it would eliminate much of the prejudice Avhicli exists 
among the laity against the profession today. 



236 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

Medicine and surgery have made a wonderful ad- 
vancement in the last few years. The advancement has 
not come from the quack. As we realize the greatness of 
the profession, we cannot fail to recognize its abuse. 
The laity should learn to distinguish between the real 
doctor and the pretender. We are not pleading for any 
special line of treatment, but we do deniMiul honest and 
conscientious treatment. Then the laity Avill appreciate 
the efforts that are being made for their benefit. They 
would not be so foolish as to allow snggestive thera- 
peutics (we should say Christian Science) in the treat- 
ment of diphtheria instead of the prompt use of antitoxin. 

There is another class who consider themselves as 
doctors that women shonld be cantions about (Muploying. 
They are women who consider themselves midwives and 
thoroughly competent to take care of confinement cases. 
Confinement cases are extremely difficult to manage at 
the present time. Midwives often attempt to handle 
complicated cases, with the result that the patient's health 
is permanently injured. Several times we have been 
called in consultation after the patient had been in labor 
for some time, often as long as from thirty-six to forty- 
eight hours. In these cases some abnormal condition 
exists which a midwife is not able to diagnose, nor 
would she be able to manage it. Nine times out of ten 
her education is very limited — as nothing compared with 



THE WOULD-BE DOCTOR 237 

that of the trained nurse. If complications are present 
or arise during a confinement, the midwife is not master 
of the situation and the patient must suffer the conse- 
quences. The most skilled attention should be received 
by confiaiement cases. 

A frequently met variety of would-be doctor are 
the busybodies who think they have a great knowledge 
of medicine and the ability to cure disease. They inter- 
fere with the commands of physicians and dictate to 
patients a proper treatment of the case, telling them 
that '^such and such a treatment cured so-and-so and 
her sickness was just like yours." Were the symptoms 
of a directly contrasting nature the treatment as pre- 
scribed by this 'Svould-be doctor" would be the same. 
No sickness that afflicts the human race is too compli- 
cated for the ^^best cure" given by them. Often when the 
family physician is treating a patient the friends or rela- 
tions will ask, 'Svhy don't they do this or that? Why 
don't they get this doctor or that doctor?" In all proba- 
bility the family have a physician employed who is pre- 
scribing the very best treatment that can be given. Such 
interference on the part of the 'Uaiowing individual" 
and friend of the family is detrimental to both the patient 
and doctor. The patient becomes dissatisfied with the 
treatment, feels discouraged, and is gradually made worse 
by such meddlesome individuals. 
9— 



238 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

To conclude. A college education and a four years' 
course in a first-class medical school is a necessary prep- 
aration for the practitioner. Competence should be the 
unfailing qualification of the healer of human ills. Too 
serious matters are life and death to be tampered with 
by dishonest or incapable persons. Put the Aveight of 
responsibility upon shoulders able to carry it. Above 
all, do not meddle — in this case at least *' silence is 
golden.'' 




CHAPTER XXVII. 

WHEN TO CONSULT AND PAY A PHYSICIAN. 

Sickness is the common lot of humanity. No class 
or race is exempt. All women at some period of their 
existence suffer from some malady peculiar to women^ 
and it is safe to say that no matter how wise the world 
may grow or what perfection science may reach, the 
sick, like the poor, will be always with us. 

The old saying, '^A little neglect may breed great 
mischief," applies with greater force in diseases of women 
than anyivhere else, for a neglected ovarian or uterine 
trouble may undermine the system and lay the founda- 
tion for a serious or chronic disease. It seems the height 
of folly for a woman to wait months or years until the 
disease is well established before consulting a physician, 
and then expect to be cured with a few doses of medicine 
and an occasional office treatment; yet this is exactly 
what most women clo. Xo one can tell what will be the 
termination of an attack of inflammation of the pelvic 
organs. A seemingly slight ovarian trouble or a dis- 
placement of the uterus, if neglected, may cause the parts 
to become so diseased that if it does not end fatally it 
may result in a protracted attack of sickness often re- 
quiring a serious surgical operation which may leave the 



240 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

patient in a debilitated condition, with the health perma- 
nently impaired. 

The lesson taught by these cases is to consult a com- 
petent physician at the earliest possible moment. Most 
women hesitate over the expense, but a little reflection 
would show them their folly and lower expense. A phy- 
sician consulted early in the case is able to restore the 
parts to their normal condition in a very short time, and 
the expense is nominal compared to that of neglected 
cases which require hospital care and the inevitable oper- 
ation. This is all additional expense, to say nothing 
of the danger, suffering and anxiety. Many women wiio 
are ill will say, '^Oh, I have taken treatments from doc- 
tors, but it never did me any good.'' Well, did you 
follow his instructions, or did you stop taking treatments 
as soon as you began to feel a little better? Then in a 
short time w^hen you felt as miserable as you did at first, 
say unkind things about physician number one, and go 
to number two? Such a patient goes the rounds and 
finally both patient and physician become disgusted. 
The patient is not well, and the chances are the doctor 
has not been paid for his services. The way to obtain 
results in such cases is to continue the treatments under 
the physician of your choice long enough to effect a com- 
plete cure, or, if it be necessary, submit to an operation. 

Talk over money matters with your physician, as 



COXSULTIXG THE PHTSICIAX 241 

well as your illness, and this will insure prompt attention 
and the very best service. Some peopie think a doctor 
can wait, or should wait indefinitely. When the bill is 
presented they become angry at him. Doctors' services 
should be paid for in cash, just as cash is paid for goods 
handed over the counter. Xo one, especially a stranger, 
would buy a bill of goods from a merchant and take 
them away without paying or making arrangements to 
pay for them; yet many people emjDloy a physician with- 
out making any arrangements about the pay. 

Doctors, as a rule, are poor business men, too sym- 
pathetic, and allow themselves to be imposed upon time 
and again. Suppose a patient is not well fixed financially 
and sickness comes. If the doctor's bill is necessarily 
large and the patient has no ready money, he should 
make arrangements with the doctor to pay a little at a 
time, no matter how small the amount. The little things 
make large on^s, so a little paid on the bill now and then 
soon pays it and thus insures the doctor's best efforts 
and his continued service should it be needed. 

There is one time when money should be ready. The 
Confinement Case. The parties know that at the end of 
a limited time a doctor's services will be needed, and 
the time is ample for preparation and getting the fee 
ready; and the responsibility is so heavy, the danger 
to mother and child so great, that in the near future no 



242 WOMAN ^S SECRETIN 

reputable physician will take any case where arrange- 
ments have not been made beforehand, as there is abso- 
lutely no excuse for not being prepared. 

Then the choice of a physician and the respect you 
show him is a matter of extreme importance. You will 
select a man from the medical profession whom you feel 
honors your home when he enters it, and with whom you 
can trust yourself under all circumstances. Do not em- 
ploy a cheap doctor; cheap things are dear at any price. 
You want a conscientious, upright man of experience, 
one who has studied long and continuously, who buys 
the latest books and instruinents, best journals, and in 
every way keeps up with the advances of science. This 
man cannot practice as cheaply as the man who does 
none of these things. Do not employ a physician who 
says unkind things about his fellow practitioners. Any 
doctor who talks about another doctor's shortcomings 
is not a safe physician for you to trust. Use good judg- 
ment in selecting your physician, then be honest with 
him. If he has your case under treatment and you are 
not getting well as fast as you think you should and 
want to have a consultation, tell your physician and make 
the necessary arrangements. Do not call in another 
doctor and say nothing about it to the one in charge of 
the case. Then again, if you want to change doctors 
tell your physician so, pay him what you owe him and 



CONSULTING THE PHYSICIAN 243 

discharge him honorably; in fact, treat him just as you 
yourself would like to be treated. 

^^ HEAVEN ENUF FOR ME/' 

''Last evening I was talking 

With a doctor, aged and gray, 
"Who told me of a dream he had, 

I think 'twas Christmas Day. 
While snoozing in his office 

A vision came to view^: 
He saw an angel enter 

Dressed in garments white and new. 
Said the angel, ''I'm from heaven; 

The Lord just sent me down 
To bring you up to glory 

And put on your golden crown; 
You've been a friend to every one 

And worked hard night and day; 
You have doctored many thousands 

And from few received your pay. 
So we want you up in glory. 

For you have labored hard, 
And the good Lord is preparing 

Your eternal, just reward." 

"Then the angel and the doctor 
Started up towards glory's gate. 



244 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

But when passing close to hades 

The angel murmured, ''Wait; 
I've got a place to show you; 

It's the hottest place in hell; 
Where the ones who never paid you 

In torment always dwell." 
And behold, the doctor saw there 

His old patients by the score, 
And grabbing up a chair and fan. 

He wished for nothing more; 
But was bound to sit and watch them 

As they'd sizzle, singe and burn, 
And his eyes would rest on debtors 

Whichever way they'd turii. 
Said the angel, "Come on, doctor, 

There's the pearly gates to see.'" 
But the doctor only muttered, 

"This is Heaven enuf for me." 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 

PATENT MEDICINE. 

AYe wish to say a few words about patent medicines 
that are prepared especially for ''Female Weakness.'' 
They are the worst enemy of the woman who takes them 
and the best friend of the physician who makes diseases 
of women a specialty. "Women bny medicine of which 
they know little or nothing and pour it into their bodies 
(of which they know less). They will try to cure dis- 
placements of the uterus or a torn cervix with medicine 
which does not benefit them but undermines the health 
until the system falls a prey to any disease. ]\Iedicine 
thus taken has very little, if any. good effect. Its con- 
tinued use by its action upon the pelvic organs will affect 
the mind. 

The patient is usually weak mentally and physically, 
lacking power to withstand the strain of overstimula- 
tion. The more and longer the medicine is taken, the 
weaker the patient becomes, and the case the more diffi- 
cult to cure. £ 

]\Iany suicides, sudden and mysterious deaths, heart 
failures and sudden shocking crimes from so-called tem- 
porary insanity are the results of the use of patent medi- 
cines. 
9a— 



246 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

Things have reached such a state that the attention 
of the government has been called to the evil effects 
of patent medicine. Better class newspapers and maga- 
zines are not only refusing their advertisements, but 
have begun to expose materials and methods used in 
their manufacture. The large number of women Avho 
suffer with some pelvic troul)le are l)eing gulled in an 
astonishing manner, and milliojis of dollars are being- 
spent every year for such medicines niid thousands of 
lives sacrificed directly or indirectly. 

Suitable laws regulating or stopping the sale of such 
medicines should be passcHl. It is n l)l()t upon our fail' 
land and it is up to the jx'oph' to sto]) it. Many of them 
contain alcohol, opium, chloral and othci* dangiM'ous 
drugs, and they are many times the cause of the di'ug 
habit. 



® 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



MARRIAGE. 



The Avord marriage is significant of tlie most intimate 
relations between man and woman. A ceremony of 
church or state legalizes a union, with a community of 
interests, mutual love and sympathy, and the right of 
sexual relationship. 

The ruling impulse of mankind is the establishment 
of a home. Indeed, of such power is the impulse that 
one of our greatest writers has. said that ^4he whole 
history of the human race can be traced to the sexual 
instinct.'' Marriage is the normal state. The mind of 
man or woman may be concentrated upon other interests, 
but the awakening to the dominant instinct is inevitable. 
Many a person has foregone marriage for the pursuit of 
art, literature or science to be the victim of unceasing 
regret. Especially is this true of woman. In the words 
of the poet, 

^^ Man's love is of man's life a thing apart; 
'Tis woman's whole existence." 
Xot that man loves less sincerely than woman. Mar- 
riage should be as much to one as the other. As Walling 
says, ^'The union of two moral and intellectual beings, 
linked by a pure love, in conjugal relation, is a sublime 
conception of Christianity and civilization." There must 



248 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

be harmony in temperament, education and custom. 
Marriage without harmony is a failure, if not a crime. 

Young persons enter matrimony thinking that noth- 
ing can mar the bright and promising future. The 
solemn joy of the nuptial service impresses them with 
little of the real seriousness of life. The wedding bells 
ring merrily while conjugal vows are taken lightly, with 
no thought of their meaning. Parents and friends look 
on approvingly, rejoicing in "Love's young dream," for- 
getting that marriage is very far from a dream. 

A few months pass by. The honeymoon has lost 
much of its golden glory. The little differences that 
gnaw at the roots of even the sturdiest affection have 
done their work. The tempers of husband and wife clash 
bitterly. Friends and parents cannot understand. They 
refuse to listen to the pleadings of a broken heart. It is 
not difficult for the keen observer to tell where the 
trouble lies. Entrance into marriage Avithout any con- 
sideration of mutual fitness can be productive of nothing 
but unhappiness. No law or religion can ever restore 
lost affection. 

These persons were happy, contented and good be- 
fore marriage. Does the fault lie with them? Frankly, 
we say no. Little can be expected of a union when the 
contracting parties are ignorant of themselves, each 
other, and life in general. A meeting in a ballroom or 



MARRIAGE 249 

at a pleasure resort is not conducive to a clear view of 
the other's personality. The further meetings at social 
functions and at other times when the best clothes and 
behavior are donned do not admit of any real knowledge 
of the beloved. 

The woman who contemplates wifehood should com- 
prehend the meaning of the word wife. She should see 
life practically, a place where work and duty are made 
sweeter by the existence of love. She must be man's co- 
laborer. His toil as well as his pleasure must be shared. 
By no means will the task be an easy one. Industry, 
courage and self-reliance are necessary requisites of the 
noble wife. 

The man should be made to realize that his wife is 
his equal. Too often does the husband regard his help- 
mate as a cook, nurse, seamstress and common drudge. 
He forgets that she has rights, that she is entitled to 
exact from him what he does from her. 

The chief object of marriage is the foundation of a 
home. The wife must realize that home and children 
are more important than social gayety. The husband, 
that there are things of greater importance than business 
activities. Parents should realize that the desire for 
marriage is innate in the human breast and that their 
children should be taught to look upon the building of 
a home as the highest aim in life. The son or daughter 



250 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

thus reared will come to his father and mother for coun- 
sel before making any serious step in life. 

If *a man is qualified to support a wife in a manner 
suitable to their station in life, he has Ihe right to demand 
of her economy and thrift. Too often does the mother 
boast of her daughter's inability to ''keep house.'' "The 
flower of the family" has been too ''lovely and choice" 
a product to learn the meaning of work or troul)le. The 
mother asks of her son-in-law that he take upon hims(^lf 
a double responsibility. "kScc that you make her happy." 
Does the fond mother forget that th(^ wife nnist en- 
deavor to make the husband happy as well .^ All credit 
to her who can truthfully assert her daughter's fitness 
as a home-maker! All credit to her whose wise teach- 
ings have given unto tlu^ man a wife who knows the 
meaning of marriage and responsibility ! That her daugh- 
ter is a good worker, an economical shopper, a careful 
manager, is greater glory to her mother than that her 
child has been the greatest beauty and social belle of a 
community. Truly great persons live their own lives, 
finding greater pleasure in the home circle than in the 
realms of "society." 

Of even greater importance to marital happiness is 
health. Housekeeping can be learned, but a perfect 
physique must be acquired in childhood. Neither man 
nor woman should marry unless he or she is physically 



MARRIAGE 251 

sound. Hereditary disease is one of the greatest curses 
of mankind. Persons afflicted with consumption, 
scrofula, or syphilis have no right to inflict their suffer- 
ing upon their helpless oft^spring. Worthy of praise is 
the action of those state legislatures which demand a 
health certificate before the issuance of the marriage 
license. Xeither money nor social position can compen- 
sate for inherited disease. 

The Sexual Life of Both Sexes. — The sexual passion 
is a natural one, not to be considered as found among 
the degenerate, but as it exists among the cultured and 
refined. With other instincts in life, it gives noble ideas 
and a desire to live for all that is beautiful. It is a 
powerful stimulus, elevates life to its highest duty of 
love and kindness. An eminent writer once said, *^If 
man were robbed of sexual desire and everything mental- 
ly connected with and emanating from the same, almost 
every vestige of poetry and perhaps all moral sentiment 
would be torn from his life.'' 

Persons who are narrow minded, phlegmatic, cold, 
ascetic, or otherwise abnormal, may condemn such teach- 
ings and say all things sexual are vulgar and disgusting. 
Such persons are more to be pitied than censured, for 
they know nothing of nature's laws and requests. 

True humanity demands a scientific discussion of 
sexual life. If much of the existing disease, unhappiness 



252 WOMAN'S SECREIVS 

and suffering is to be obliterated, the ignorance of the 
laity must be changed to knowledge. The laws of nature 
must be explained so that every man and woman may 
understand the importance of a thorough knowledge of 
life and sex. 

Sexual desire is a necessary and natural law of love 
uniting the opposite sexes in the most intimate relations. 
It attracts men and women lo each other with the strong- 
est of all passions and is one of the beautiful phenomena 
of life necessary for the creation of new beings. Yet 
we would not have you think that the first thought of 
sexual desire is to create children, but it is the love and 
sympathy for each other which manifests itself in sexual 
life. It teaches that propagation is not the only purpose 
of sexualus, for without love and personal sympathy 
sexual desire becomes a physiological gratification and 
nothing more. 

The suppression of the sexual desire in women as 
taught by Christian churches in the olden times was a 
false conception of the natural laws, and is condemned 
today by thinking and educated people. One should re- 
member that sexual life is in harmony with a noble mind. 
It is also recognized as an important factor in normal 
organization as well as health. The human being needs 
love, joy, sacrifice and pleasure. Without it there is 
nothing in life. Yet our education along this line should 



MARRIAGE 253 

be for the good and pure, for love reigns forever. The 
poet never forgets to paint a beautiful picture in v/ords 
for this desire for love. He sees it in all its beauty. 
'^Thou, oh love, art indeed the eternal.'' Then we see 
before the artist his masterpiece, a perfect body which 
represents health and beauty. 

As we have said before, the teachings of the church 
often endeavor to force women to suppress this sexual 
instinct and consider her only function to be that of 
bearing children. Some authors give the reader the im- 
pression that man's motives are simply from a physio- 
logical point of view and woman's that of motherhood. 
Both statements are either erroneous or false. Mrs. 
Schoenflies, a Philadelphia woman, says that a woman 
who loves a man and surrenders herself to him thinks 
of him alone and not of the child which inay be the result 
of their union and which is only secondary in a woman's 
normal love connection. 

Men and women are born with these natural sexual 
desires and they should exist in a normal and moral con- 
dition. True, Christianity, education and morality are 
its safeguards. Both sexes are virtuous when they know 
the morality of sexual life and understand its meaning. 
Dr. Nystrom. of Stockholm, Sweden, who has done so 
much to educate the laity on this subject, says in one of 
his books, ''The Natural Laws of Sexual Life," when 



254 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

speaking of the moral sexual life, "We must make earth 
an empire of love where happy and healthy people enjoy 
their existence and work and sing with overflowing love 
of life, where the mind is open for all that is beautiful 
in this world, for the greatness and truth, and the heart 
vibrates with joy and love. This is the law of life; this 
is morality. ' ' 

In olden times Christians tried to improve the im- 
moral conditions by trying to subdue the sexual pnssion 
and by fighting prostitution. They used all sorts of 
ways and means to destroy the sexual passion, l)ut tliey 
could not succeed in their severe demands. Nature's 
laws would exist in si)ite of all efforts from that day to 
this. Christianity has done luueh in improving the moral 
conditions, but there is still room foi* improvement. 

Let the husband and wife unite in studying this 
question of sexual life honestly and tinithfully and from 
a moral standpoint. Then it will be understood as it 
should be, and then your daughter and mine will have 
the proper protection. This chapter does not permit the 
space to go into detail as to the old religious teachings 
of ''self-denial" To repeat the saying, ''Judge not 
and you shall not be judged," is sufficient. All persons 
are not alike sexually. To use connnon sense is th<: best 
method in the regulation of sexual life. 

A true recognition of the beautv and morality of 



MARRIAGE 255 

sexual life can be brought into the lives of every husband 
and wife — making every American home purer and hap- 
pier. 

Physiology and Effects. — The development of the 
sexual organs in the woman has been fully considered 
in a preceding chapter on puberty. A change occurs 
in man as in Avoman, though generally a few years later — 
usually in the sixteenth or seventeenth year. At this 
time the will power becomes especially developed and the 
secretion of the spermatozoa takes place in the testicles. 
Parents should realize that this is the critical time in a 
boy's life as well as in a girl's. Character is moulded, 
the sexual life begins with its sensations and emotions, 
and the opposite sexes are especially attracted to each 
other. Dr. M. A. AVickard. the noted German author, 
says, '^It is a known fact that the spermatic fluid is 
secreted from the blood of man's sexual organs as soon 
as he reaches a certain age. We know this causes the 
greatest actions in the body. As soon as this secretion 
occurs a young man totally changes. His voice gradually 
becomes deep and manly, hair grows on his face and 
genital organs : his limbs grow more powerful and mus- 
cular, he becomes more fit for thinking, his intellectual 
powers increase, he grows more courageous, and feels an 
almost unconquerable desire to have intercourse with 
the opposite sex. It is also a known fact that the seminal 



256 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

fluid is a daily means of recreation and sustenance of the 
male sex, that it sustains the vitality, vigor and tempera- 
ment, that men who are always happy and jolly through 
life and live to an advanced age are men who always 
have been sexually strong.'' Therefore, it cannot be 
denied that men who are normal sexually are cheerful 
and sympathetic men, hard workers and good thinkers. 

The cause of the sexual desire or appetite is due to 
the filling of the sexual glands with a spermatic fluid 
which causes a peculiar stimulation to the entire nervous 
system. The gratification of the sexual desire relaxes 
the nervous tension. 

The sexual act in both sexes depends upon a reflex 
stimulation from the genital organs and the brain. The 
action of the brain can either excite or control these 
reflexes. Specific sexual energy is nothing more than the 
mind and central parts of the brain acting upon the 
genital organs through a stimulation known as nerve 
vibration. 

Some contend that as soon as a boy reaches man- 
hood and a sexual desire is manifested, with an involun- 
tary escape of the seminal fluid during sleep, sexual 
intercourse is necessary to preserve health and prevent 
masturbation. We are sorry to say that few boys escape 
this detestable habit; however, cultivation of the mind 
and the development of the faculty of self-control will 



MARRIAGE 257 

enable any member of either sex to desist from mastur- 
bation or intercourse. 

The brain and nervous system are influenced by the 
sexual organs during sleep. This is proved by the fact 
that emissions of the semen (a voluntary act during 
sexual intercourse) occur involuntarily at night once or 
twice a month in healthy men. Single men who live the 
ordinary life of today will have these emissions and 
should not be alarmed or become melancholy or anxious 
about their condition. 

In classifying different individuals, we find some 
who have no sexual feeling and desire. Such persons 
are '^Cold Natures." This indifferent condition is found 
more freciuently in women than men. Men so affected 
generally spend all their time and energy upon scientific 
subjects. Their minds are totally concerned with ab- 
stract things : they have no other interests and soon be- 
come inactive and ^'cold sexually.'' True, overstudy 
and too much brain activity on any subject will cause 
the same abnormal condition in men. A faulty edu- 
cation and the teachings of cold and indifferent mothers 
are the causes of a great many of the cold natures in 
women. Such women are totally indifferent and possess 
no feeling whatever during sexual intercourse. They 
come into this world, live by eating and drinking and 
without the sufficient amount of sunshine, love or svm- 



258 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

pathy to make their pathway through life brighter. Per- 
sons of this type imitate and follow the examples of 
others, never rise above the regular routine of every-day 
life, intellectually are not investigators, and never be- 
come leaders or rulers. Such married women abhor sex- 
ual intercourse with their husbands and treat it with the 
utmost disgust. When such acts do occur they feel that 
they are doing their duties towards their liusbands, l)ut 
to their minds it is sinful and wrong. Sucli a wife never 
satisfies a husband's desire for love, sympathy, and 
affection. It is not altogether just the act; something 
more is needed to make it complete; the Avhole body and 
soul must unite to bring forth love ami sympathy tlnit 
each can sny to the other, ''There is no one in nil this 
world but you.'*' 

When the sexual desire is destroyed in a man who 
was perfectly normal before the disease or accident that 
caused such condition he becomes depressed, loses will 
power and energy; Avorries continually about his hope- 
less miserable condition, seeing no future, no hope. So 
we can truthfully say that a lack of sexual desire robs 
life of its happiness. This is true of both sexes. 

The sexual desire may remain normal in both sexes 
until late in life. In some cases women years after 
the menopause, even to the age of seventy-five, have had 
perfect sexual desires, and men at the age of eighty-five 
have become fathers. 



MAERIAGE 259 

Sexual life may also manifest itself quite early in 
life, long before the genital glands are active. It may 
occur in both boys and girls as early as the third year. 

Sexual desire varies greatly in both men and women. 
Variations may occur in the same individual at different 
periods of life and under dift'erent conditions. The gen- 
eral health has a great deal to do with the desire. 

There is no fixed rule with either sex as to the fre- 
quency of intercourse during married life without being 
detrimental to either husband or wife. It is best gov- 
erned by the physical and mental condition. If there 
is a fatigued feeling accompanied by headache, slow- 
ness of the intellect, and a general depression of the 
nervous system, the sexual act should not occur so fre- 
quently. Once or twice a week is considered normal 
for the average person in perfect health. If he is very 
strong sexually and in robust health it may occur more 
frecpiently. The future health must be considered. Pa- 
tients who consult physicians late in life for impotency, 
general nervousness, and a complete breakdown are 
those who usually give a history of having had inter- 
course or masturbated very frequently for years during 
their early life. This abnormal increase of the sexual 
appetite is found early in life more frequently in men 
than in women and when it is gratified daily as reported 
in some cases it sooner or later ruins the health. Such 



260 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

patients become dizzy, have more or less headache, are 
unfit for work, and the vitality of the system becomes so 
low that they are susceptible to any disease. 

A lack of gratification of the sexual desire after 
marriage will cause a breakdown in health similar to the 
excess. Married women who are neglected by their 
husbands, or perchance are widows, suffer to a greater 
or less degree from enforced abstinence. Such women 
sooner or later become neurasthenic and ofttimes hyster- 
ical. Cases are reported Avhere the same condition caused 
melancholia and female diseases. The sexual appetite in 
young women ofttimes does not manifest itself until 
after it is created by man, — that is, by the sexual act. 
It ma}^ be weeks or even months after marriage before 
the desire manifests itself. Again there are certain un- 
married women with a sensitive instinct who enjoy a per- 
fect physical and mental condition where sexuality is 
present. In other cases intercourse has developed a cer- 
tain condition and abstinence will cause serious mental 
derangement. In such a case any irritability of the sex- 
ual organs causes a most perceptible shock. By this we 
refer to young girls who have given birth to a child by 
a promise of marriage or who have given themselves up 
to a lover who has afterwards deserted them. 

Another condition that will cause female diseases 
and pelvic congestion is incomplete intercourse. This 



MARRIAGE 261 

happens when the act is not in harmony with both par- 
ties; that iS; either hnsband or wife does not exper- 
ience normal sexnal interconrse. A woman is not af- 
fected if she has no sexual instinct. In some marriages 
where young women have married elderly men who are 
weak sexually they have become mistresses of other men. 
Upon the other hand where there are cold natures exist- 
ing in either sex the opposite has not fallen or become 
faithless. We often hear of such parties contemplating 
and sometimes committing suicide. Men are often weak 
sexually because they live too fast a life while single. 
In such cases we often hear complaints from the wife. 
Incomplete sexual intercourse is often practiced to pre- 
vent pregnancy and the result is pelvic congestion, and 
painful menstruation which will finally result in ill 
health. When there is a lack of proper sympathy and 
affection manifested upon the part of the husband there 
is often a lack of complete sexual relations on the part 
of the wife, as she must be approached with a tender and 
sympathetic attitude. Without such relations the woman 
will suffer the results. If real love is present, mutual 
harmony will result in what is termed perfect sexual 
life. 

In women during sexual intercourse the tubes, ovar- 
ies and uterus become congested and if they remain in 
this condition without the natural crisis being reached 



262 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

various pelvic disorders will be produced; the parts will 
become swollen; catarrhal conditions wdll develop; hem- 
orrhages will occur and changes wull take place in the 
pelvis which will result in a complete break-down in a 
woman's health. Man should be instructed in regard to 
this fact as he may not be aware of the injury he is 
doing. Patients suffering from incomplete sexual inter- 
course often consult a physician. Owing to the modesty 
of the patient in not telling him of the relations existing 
between herself and husband the physician is not made 
familiar with the cause of such a condition. Women 
should be frank about such things in order that they 
may receive the proper treatment and prevent future suf- 
fering and misery. Like ill results Avill occur in men 
who practice incomplete sexual intercourse for the; pur- 
pose of i^reventing their wives from becoming pregnant. 

It is one of the impossibilities so far as the health 
and mental development are concerned for married men 
who are sexually strong to abstain. 

Men who abstain from such relations for a longer 
or shorter period of time and then indulge to an excess, 
as they generally do, will suffer from the disastrous 
results later in life. In such cases the love of life disap- 
pears, the intellect becomes inactive, the physical condi- 
tion is impaired and the patient becomes melancholy and 
depressed and perhaps insane. Unmarried men and wom- 



MARRIAGE 263 

en ^y]lo have never had the sexual appetite gratified are 
in a position to abstain with a much less degree of re- 
sistance and without experiencing the ill effects upon 
the system that are the result of abstinence after mar- 
riage. This refers especially to women. Men who ab- 
stain from sexual relations without any iJl effects are 
men who are weak physically as well as sexually and 
whose general constitutions are far below the average. 
Too long abstinence may lower the vitality of the sexual 
organs to such a degree that impotency may result. The 
immediate effects of ungratified desires in men are head- 
ache, a general tired feeling, a lack of ambition, loss of 
appetite, sleeplessness and inactivity in their avocations. 
Men suffering from these conditions are as bashful as 
women about giving their physician the exact history of 
their cases and consequently do not receive the proper 
medical advice. They may be treated for some sort of 
nervousness, the physician being unable to make out the 
exact cause of the condition. Both sexes should be per- 
fectly frank with their physicians in regard to such mat- 
ters in order that perfect health may be restored. Some 
authors claim that abstinence in men after marriage ^^ill 
cause them to become low in morals, dishonest, often de- 
veloping a criminal tendency, and that crimes due to tem- 
porary insanity have been committed as a result. There- 
fore, a man of strong sexual appetite and a perfect body 



264 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

cannot endure a prolonged abstinence without causing ill 
health and great suffering to himself, and those with whom 
he associates are in more or less danger. Men and women 
who have been privileged to marry and who abstain from 
such relations, even when the effort is comparatively easy, 
will sooner or later ruin the health and mental activity. 

Married women often become physical and nervous 
wrecks from the brutal injustice imposed upon them by 
their husbands who ignore their rights. Sucli a husband 
is so selfish that he thinks onh^ of his own pleas- 
ure and gratification in his sexual relations witli his 
wife. Men often ruin the health of their wives by being 
devoid of the kind and sympathetic attitude at this time. 

It is believed by some among the laity that normal 
sexual conditions must exist in a woman or she cannot 
become pregnant. This is false because wives have be- 
come mothers several times without having any sexual 
appetite. Many women marry without love and never 
have loved their husbands. In other cases the sexual 
desires of women are destroyed by, men not properly 
understanding the sexual relations and who have not used 
the law of kindness, devotion and love. If both parties 
were only properly educated there would be less female 
diseases, fewer mental and physical wrecks and fewer 
unhappy unions and failures in life. Divorces and their 
evil effects would be lessened to a marked desrree. The 



:\IAKRIAGE 265 

high moral ideal of sexual life must be thoroughly lived 
up to if real love, kiiidness. sympathy, and devotion gov- 
ern married life. 

Morality. — Doubtless some of our remarks upon the 
subject of sexual life will be severely criticised. How- 
ever, if you are fair-minded you will recognize the worth 
of our heart-to-heart talk even if you do not agree with 
our views upon the matter. 

That you have tried to educate your daughters in the 
best way possible is a foregone conclusion. The average 
American mother sends her children to church and Sun- 
day school. The average American child receives a fairly 
good common school education. In all respects but one 
is the rising generation at least fairly well schooled. It 
is the more pitiful a fact because upon this one thing 
depends much of the world's health and happiness. In- 
struction upon topics of sex is of vital importance to each 
and every man and woman. The relations that exist in 
marriage are too closely related to all life and human 
affairs to admit of any ignoring of them. The knowledge 
will inevitably come. It rests in your hands whether it 
be from the levrdness of associates, from the bitterness 
of experience or from the purity of a parent's love. 

It is surprising that in our up-to-date recognition of 
the value of specialized training in the trades and pro- 
fessions, we fail to see that special training for matri- 



266 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

mony may be conducive to domestic happiness. A person 
who has never studied music is not expected to master a 
difficult sonata; a young woman is not expected to make 
a dress without previous instruction. That she is al- 
lowed to enter upon a new life without a comprehension 
of its difficulties is your fault, not hers. Blame yourselves 
if her life becomes a failure. If you '^ can't see why 
things are as they are when you did everything you pos- 
sibly could to educate her," question yourself thoroughly. 
Nine chances out of ten your daughter, if not absolutely 
ignorant of her duties as a Avife and mother, has been 
taught in a perverted school. 

Look into this matter honestly and sincerel3\ Are 
you one of those who desire to improve the moral condi- 
tions of society? Do you wish to make this a better, 
purer world for our daughters and sisters? Is it neces- 
sary that the sisters and daughters of others must live a 
life of prostitution to protect our family honor and de- 
cency? The case lies with you. If you educate your 
children purely, the degradation of the present time 
will gradually decrease. 

The unequal standard of morality today is respon- 
sible for our greatest social evils. The man who freely 
indulges his amorous passions is warmly received by cir- 
cles who spurn his victim as an irredeemably ^^ fallen cre- 
ature." He expects to marry a woman Avhose virtue is 



MAKRIAGE 267 

unquestioned and whose purity is spotless. The woman 
takes what she can get — often innocently believing she is 
obtaining a '*' manly man." Xor is it all the man's fault. 
From time immemorial woman has been taught that her 
reputation depended upon her sexual purity. The prin- 
ciples of chastity are inherent in the generality of wom- 
ankind. The boy is taught by older associates habits 
destructive to his moral nature. It is called a natural 
course where in woman it would be designated as de- 
praved. 

The cure can be accomplished only by the parents. 
A pure, sane view of life and its processes of regeneration 
must be inculcated into the growing boy. The conse- 
quences of sin must be taught. Let the child know what 
he should and should not do. Teach him that masturba- 
tion will ruin him mentally and physically: teach him 
that he should hold intimate relations with no one but his 
wife; teach him that sin brings in its train disease; teach 
him that each woman is or has been as sacred in the eyes 
of some man as his own mother is in his. Teach him that 
there is but one standard of right and wrong — that chas- 
tity is a jewel in the hearts of men as well as women. 

Men, even as boys, seldom fail to recognize moral 
worth in women or girls. His respect is measured by her 
reserve. Moral scruples do not lower a woman in a man's 
regard. Nothing is so dear as the unattainable and the 



268 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

woman who holds her purity inviolable raises her value 
in the eyes of him who Avould violate it. If she yields she 
faces great dangers. Nothing can compensate for the 
loss of her own self respect. She is scorned by both 
sexes. She runs the risk of being infected with gonorr- 
hoea and syphilis. To hide an accidental pregnancy she 
may by a secret abortion destroy her own beauty and 
health and the life of her unborn child. 

Sexual morality should be a quality of married as 
Avell as unmarried life. There exist unions in which the 
high standard of morality is shown by the husband \s re- 
gard for the wife's wishes in all sexual relations. Such 
a man would look upon any enforced inclination to his 
desires upon the part of his wife as a transgression of the 
moral law. He realizes that feminine reserve is a protec- 
tion not only for herself but for the race. Adultery on 
the part of the husband is common unless he has more 
than an ordinary sense of justice and develops human 
feelings instead of brutal instinct. Moral law restricts 
woman to a permanent mate; man hopes to find fuller 
pleasure in variety. The good woman has ever been in 
competition with the courtesan. Chastity must be sup- 
plemented by the arts of pleasing before it can hold the 
hearts of men. It is here that the good woman often 
fails. She endeavors to retain by tears and reproaches 
what is being led away by smiles and graces — and smiles 



MARRIAGE 269 

are far more captivating than tears. Matrimonial faith- 
fulness and purity are her greatest aid, but as little faults 
often blind us to great virtues, so man loses sight of his 
wife's chastity in her very apparent hysterical tendencies. 

You ask how we would prevent prostitution? Its 
prevention is impossible in present day conditions. It is 
worse than folly to attempt to close restricted districts. 
The inmates will simply take up their quarters in other 
portions of the town, making all decent women subject 
to the doubts of passing men. It is not our intention to 
go into any discussion of the ways and means of con- 
trolling houses of prostitution. The cure must begin in 
the home. As men increase in self-respecting purity, 
prostitution will decrease and it will decrease only as 
manly purity increases. 

Sexual morality means a disappearance of the most 
horrible sins and loathsome diseases that afflict the 
human beings; it means a harmonious social system — a 
Utopia where all women are chaste, and all men are pure ; 
it means a higher physical, intellectual, and spiritual de- 
velopment of the individual and the race. 



10- 



CHAPTER XXV. 

THE IDEAL WIFE. 

Fitness for marriage in a young woman depends upon 
certain qualifications. It is the mother's duty to insist 
upon their acquirement before she consents to the daugh- 
ter's entrance into wifehood. The ideal, in this case at 
least, is not an impossibility, — any girl with persistence 
and earnestness can attain to her level. Whether or not 
a woman is beautiful is of little consequence. Indeed, a 
handsome woman often makes a poor helpmate — too much 
admiration and attention are apt to render the recipient 
vain and frivolous. Beauty may excuse a woman's de- 
ficiencies for a time, but the day will come Avhen other 
qualities will be more desirable in her husband's eyes. 

Be a Good Housekeeper. — A woman, even if she has 
under her a corps of trained servants, should be compe- 
tent to manage a home. The details of housekeeping 
come easily to the young wife who has been her mother's 
assistant. The way to a man's heart may not be through 
his stomach, but the sense of well-being arising from a 
good meal nicely served is conducive to happiness. 

Be Good Natured. — A cheerful disposition is among 
the most desirable qualities in a wife. The details of 
housekeeping tire a woman and the weightier details of 
business have a like efifect upon a man. The tact which 



THE IDEAL WIFE 271 

exerts a soothing influence upon the careworn husband 
is an invaluable trait in the wife. 

Be Interested in Your Husband's Business. — A wife 
should take an interest in her husband's business, study 
its nature, and be able to discuss it from every stand- 
point. Sympathy and cheerful aid in the gloomy days 
cannot be overestimated. 

Be Economical. — Xo matter how large or small a 
man's fortune may be a woman should know her hus- 
band's financial condition — otherwise she may be a bur- 
den rather than a helpmate. She should learn to buy 
household supplies at the best figure and to purchase her 
personal effects at bargain prices. The wife of a poor 
man who can do her own sewing and trim her own hats 
has a great advantage over the one in like circumstances 
Avho can do neither. 

Do Not Be Jealous. — Many an unhappy hour would 
be eliminated were jealousy to be conquered. A wife who 
nags at her husband and refuses to trust him in the pres- 
ence of other women is not to be pitied if she loses his 
affection. Nothing will drive him away more quickly 
than an accusation when he is not guilty. 

Keep Well-Dressed. — Costly apparel is not necessary 
to good appearance. Neatness and cleanliness make any 
woman attractive. Some wives think it unnecessarv to be 



272 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

well groomed in the presence of their husbands. At least 
keep your hair tidy and beware of soiled collars. 

Have Some Accomplishments. — ]\Iusic in some form 
adds greatly to the home life. Many have no talent along 
this line, but every woman can study the art of entertain- 
ing. She should develop the talents she possesses. Some 
are good readers, others good conversationalists. None 
are so uncultured today that they cannot make a Iioiik^ 
more cheerful by their presence. 

Be a Sweetheart and Lover. — After marriage never 
lose sight of the fact that you are your husband's sweet- 
heart and lover in the ti'uest sense of the word. Pay him 
little attentions. The marriage ceremony gives you that 
privilege and it is one of the cliief means hy which you 
hold your husband's love and affection. It remains with 
you to do well your part. Remember, that men are only 
boys grown up and the wife must take a mother's place. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

CHOOSING A COMPANION. 

In her choice of a husband a woman faces the most 
serious problem of her life. Upon her decision rests the 
happiness of herself and unborn generations. Failures 
in marriage are due largely to the thoughtlessness with 
Avhicli men and women enter into the matrimonial state — 
guided, too frequently, only by appearances and external 
graces. A girl, ofttimes, devotes more serious considera- 
tion to the design of a new party frock than to the selec- 
tion of a life companion. Divorce would be less preval- 
ent were the fact remembered that although lover and 
sweetheart are blind to each other's faults, the husband 
and wife are gifted with extraordinarily clear vision. 

No woman should enter into a matrimonial contract 
without a thorough knowledge of the man's financial con- 
ditions. It behooves a woman to study her wooer's meth- 
ods of making and investing money, his manner of spend- 
ing his leisure hours, his business associates and his chosen 
companions. Not that it is well to marry for money or 
social position: they soon lose their attraction for a wife 
who does not love her husband. It is not necessary that 
a man accumulate a large amount of capital before he 
marries, but he should have the ability to support a fam- 
ily and to leave it provided for in case of his death. Few 



274 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

men under thirty and often nearer forty are mature 
enough to master the many problems of life. A woman 
risks much in connecting herself with the experimental 
stage of a man's life. 

From the beginning of time men have asked much 
of women and given little in return. He demands that 
she be pure and virtuous. She takes him, moral or im- 
moral, without question. Few men there are, who have 
not gone the pace and sown their wild oats. She is for- 
tunate w^ho can find among her suitors one who is as 
chaste as he would have her be. 

He who indulges freely in 'Svine, cards and women" 
does not make the ideal husband for any girl who has 
properly prepared herself to accept the position of wife 
and mother. He has cultivated habits which destroy him 
financially, physically, and mentally. 

Women often remark that they prefer a num who 
has sown "his wild oats" and their actions carry out 
this sentiment. They believe that a ''reformed rake" 
will settle down and make a better husband than one of a 
higher and nobler character. It can all be traced back 
to the double standard which demands license for men 
and restriction for women. The unchangeable law of God 
is forgotten, ''What ye sow ye shall reap." The crop 
never fails. Neither remorse nor repentance will lessen 
its abundance. It is harvested by the guilty and the inno- 



CHOOSING A COMPANION 275 

cent. ''The sins of the father are visited upon the heads 
of his children even unto the third and fourth genera- 
tions. 

Do yoii love a man who has received his degree in 
the college of drunkenness, gambling, and vice? Are you 
desirous of reforming him • Look into the lives of inno- 
cent women and children, helpless reapers of the harvest 
of sin and shame and death. 

In a hospital lies a tiny girl, a sufferer from inherited 
syphilis : a wife preparing to undergo a serious opera- 
tion made necessary by gonorrhoeal infection; a youth 
influenced by evil companions, whose body is a living mass 
of corruption : a beautiful young mother whose blind babe 
is a product of her husband's sowing of wild oats. 

In an insane asylum raves a maniac woman who mar- 
ried a charming, but dissolute lover of her sex to reform 
him. 

In a tireless home a mother rocks her babe. Two 
children of three and four beg piteously for bread. The 
husband and father reaps his crop in the city jail where 
he is confined for drunkenness and petty theft. 

A group of girls in their teens nursing their father- 
less babes in a home for fallen women. ''The common 
folly of men,'' you say. Yes a common folly, and the more 
detestable because of its commonness. Would you be- 



276 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

come the wife of one whose innocent but illegitimate off- 
spring daily curses his father. 

Pictures of untold horror and unlimited suffering 
are they not? Do you desire a similar fate? Take your 
life into your own hands. ]\rarry a man to reform him if 
you wish, but do not expect to escape the penalty. The 
laws of nature are inexorable. 





CHAPTER XXXII. 

HUSBAND AND WIFE. 

This is so broad a subject and one upon which so 
much must needs be said that I almost stand aghast at the 
responsibility. Earth does not hold a more sacred tie nor 
an obligation so fraught with beauty and genuine pleas- 
ure — indeed we may safely call this relation the one 
thing worth while. When the compact is thoughtfully 
entered into it uplifts and elevates to such an extent that 
the humdrum things of life lose their sordid aspect and 
become beautiful. Every husband and wife has a per- 
sonal obligation toward the world at large and it is their 
duty to make their marriage a perfect one so that their 
home may radiate happiness on every side and make oth- 
ers long for such an existence rather than dread it. Re- 
move the integrity of the family and the salt of the earth 
is gone. 

A man and woman drawn together by the indissoluble 
ties of love, planning and working together, mutual- 
ly helpful, mutually forbearing and sharing fully each 
other's confidence, represent the home that has given to 
American domestic life its high position. Such a couple 
can contemplate old age with serenity and their life pre- 
sent the fittest earthly type of Heaven. 

In the first place let us consider the husband's duty. 
10a— 



278 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

If a man can be made to realize a woman's true worth 
we have accomplished much. Married life is an enter- 
prise Avhere the wife is made a jDartner and co-worker. 
The Lord has endowed woman Avith natural faculties 
which, if permitted, will make her of untold value as an 
able assistant. 

There is something within that rebels Avlien a true 
woman finds herself being catalogued as a mere orna- 
ment incapable of sharing the problems that confront her 
husband. Such a woman glories in knowing that her 
Avomanhood is fully understood and she Avill not rest until 
she stands, in the eyes of society, upon the level ground 
of moral equality with the man she loves. She realizes 
that a childish dependence and an uuti-ained and frivol- 
ous mind are unfavorable to the advancement of wife- 
hood and motherhood and therefore to the progress of the 
world. 

Marriage makes or mars a woman's life and in plac- 
ing her entire happiness in the hands of her husband she 
is bestowing a sacred charge and he should look upon it 
as such. 

Marital unhappiness can be frequently traced to mon- 
ey matters. A wife shows no interest in her husband's 
busiriess, he is too reserved to acquaint her with his af- 
fairs. Too often a man looks upon his helpmate as a 
cook, nurse, housekeeper, and common drudge Avho needs 
no pecuniary recompense. 



HUSBAND AND WIFE 279 

A wife should never be left in the dark as to her 
husband's financial condition. It does not require an 
undue amount of moral courage to say ^^I cannot afford 
if and if the wife is made to feel that her responsibility 
is as great as her husband's she will say it willingly and 
cheerfully. A man never pays his wife a greater compli- 
ment than when he turns his bank account over to her and 
says, ^'This is our nest egg; you know what we can 
afford as well if not better than I. Use your own discre- 
tion, dear, — I know that it is in good hands and that you 
will use it wisely and well." We believe that is the 
proper way to settle the pin-money question. But in- 
stead of this harmonious condition of affairs, the follow- 
ing is often the case : The wife is looked upon as a re- 
spectable beggar and when she expresses a desire for a 
new dress or hat the husband remarks, *' Can't you get 
along with the old one? You spend so much money for 
clothes. Mine cost a great deal less." The chances are 
that the wife's hat has been trimmed time and again and 
she is well worth many times the price of a new one. The 
wife keeps the house in order, trains the children, and 
makes home pleasant for the husband. What does he 
give her for it? A place she is supposed to call home. 
Well, when he married her he promised to endow her with 
all his worldly goods. It seems to us that meant share 
and share alike, and unless the husband takes the same 



280 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

view and acts accordingly his wife will soon feel as 
though she is considered nothing more than a mere ma- 
chine. He might as well say in so many words, *'0f 
course I enjoy your company, but you must realize that I 
can't afford to pay you for doing your work. Don't 
forget that I earn the money that buys all the comforts . 
of our home while you merely do away with the cost of 
keeping a servant/' for his attitude implies as much. 
This causes the wife to w.onder and say to herself, '^Is 
this married life? Is this the treatment I deserve?" Per- 
haps the wife asks for ten dollars which she had planned 
to spend on the children and household necessities. How 
will she feel if she is met with a remark like the fol- 
lowing? ^^Do you think T nm made of money? I wish 
you would keep an account of the money you spend." 
Such remarks lay the foundation for much imhappiness. 
Don't let finance be the one bitter drop in the cup that 
otherwise would be full of happiness. Talk over the 
home expense account as you would any other. If the 
grocery or meat bill seems large there must be some rea- 
son for it. Perhaps the husband invited several friends 
in to dinner during the month, and is himself responsible 
for the increased expense. As a usual thing the husband 
is always too ready to assume, with an air that is not be- 
coming, that he is the money maker and his wife the 
money spender. At the first breath of criticism the aver- 



HUSBAND AND WIFE 281 

age woman is hurt and humiliated in a way that she can 
never forget. Therefore the husband should strive to 
learn the hard lesson of admiring rather than criticising. 
If the tragedy of a woman's life be told, it resolves 
itself into the fact that they must be told constantly, re- 
peatedly that they are loved. Xo woman can be recon- 
ciled into taking it for granted. They want all the little 
loA^e phrases and tender attentions of their honeymoon 
and not one woman in ten thousand gets them, and yet 
with what persistency they keep on wanting. So while 
the ups and downs of life come and go don't neglect the 
courtesies and delicate attentions toward each other. ^^I 
love you dear" is just as sweet to the wife of five or fifty 
years as it was in the days of your courtship. As birds 
were made to fly and rivers to flow, so women were made 
to be loved and admired, "We realize the joy of life just 
in so far as we strive to make joy possible to others. 
Show your wife that you are still her sweetheart and you 
will find her making use of all the graces that first won 
your love. Don't permit her to ever see you showing 
attentions and courtesies to her lady friends that you 
have outgrown or forgotten in her presence. 

The true relations between husband and wife can 
only exist when there is a real, honest, healthy, passionate 
love with the desire for exclusive union with the object 
of devotion. Without this their union is a failure and we 



282 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

ask you this question ''Should the life-long bondage pun- 
ish two unfortunate individuals where ignorance is the 
only crime they have committed?" How helpless is the 
husband or wife who does not knoAv what it means to 
charm and satisfy simply from a physical point of view. 
There is a strong obligation on the part of every 
young man to marry, and this is all well and good, but his 
obligation does not end there ; in truth it is but the be- 
ginning of the end. 

A single standard of morals for men and women is 
the only reasonable fovmdation upon which to stand, and 
yet in this day and age the pitiful truth must be faced that 
but few men are absolutely true to their marriage vows. 
The obligation he assumes at club or lodge no power on 
earth could make him faithless to and yet how many 
times more sacred is the promise made at the marriage 
altar, before his Maker, to the woman who is trusting her 
whole life's happiness in his keeping. He takes the same 
vow that she does, but it loses weight with the average 
man while the woman goes on blindly trusting to the 
bitter end. Early training has a great deal to do with 
this state of affairs ; a girl from her infancy is taught sup- 
pression of emotions and self control, while the boy gives 
vent to every impulse, compromising with his conscience 
by saying, ''All the other felloAvs do, and I'm going to be 
a good fellow." We can safelv say this — more heartaches 



HUSBAND AND WIFE 283 

and sorrow and wrecked homes are brought about in this 
way than from any other source. 

''As unto the bow the cord is 

So unto man is woman. 
Though she bends him she obeys him, 
Though she draws him, she follows, — 
Useless each without the other.'' 

To the wife, if we could give but one counsel, we 
Avould say, ''keep SAveet." If you want an ideal home 
this rule holds good. Enough things happen to married 
persons to embitter and sour them both, God knows, but 
can't you keep sweet through it all? Don't lose sight of 
the fact that you are the one bright spot in your husband's 
life, that since he kissed you goodbye this morning he 
has had nothing but plain hard facts to deal with, that 
the business world is no bed of roses and that he comes 
home to you at night tired mentally and physically and 
he's only a boy grown larger and needs a little petting 
and humoring for a while. 

Don't meet him at the door with all the petty wor- 
ries that have confronted you during the day. .Lay them 
aside with your kitchen dress and just "be sweet." No 
matter how busy the day or hoAV manifold the duties take 
the time to make yourself attractive before he comesi 
home. fSee that the home looks inviting and yourself 



284 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

equally so and he will forget all that has annoyed and 
worried him during the day. Make your husband an 
honored guest in the home. Don't save all the clean 
tablecloths and cut glass for the indifferent chance visitor 
and think that most anything will do for your husbana. 
Let him see for himself that there is no one for whom you 
would take the pains you love to take for him. 

No one admires a good motlier more than a man, but 
don'fc let your husband feel that in l)eing an ideal mother 
you are failing in the least little way as the ideal wife. He 
is handling the big problems of life and can't show quite 
the same amount of enthusiasm over little Johnnie's first 
tooth that you do, but don't shut him out completely be- 
cause of this and don't lose sight of the fact that you were 
his wife before you were the l)nby's inother. 

Love and religion go hand in hand. No home, espe- 
cially if there be cliildren in it, is perfect without a proper 
amount of respect due to religion. Eai'ly home training 
goes a long way in the formation of character and a child 
w^ho is taught to lisp his little prayer at night is much 
better fortified to cope with the vicissitudes of life than 
one who has never been taught anything of the sort. 

A cold and indifferent attitude of husband and wife 
toward each other is the worst possible discipline for a 
child. Home life ought to be full of kind deeds and dem- 
onstrations of love. Let love's light shine. Seek every 



HUSBAND AND WIFE 285 

medmm for its disclosure. Let the children feel that a 
sacred love permeates the home and you are giving them 
the right conception of home life. We would almost as 
lief see children brought up without the ten command- 
ments as without love in the home. 

So many women wonder why their husbands prefer 
the club to the home. You who may be pondering over 
this problem let me ask this question. Have you done 
everything in your povN^er to make both the home and 
yourself attractive? This is hard sometimes, especially 
when there is no maid in the kitchen and the demands 
upon your time have seemed numberless, but it doesn't 
take long to slip into a fresh dress and see that your hair 
is becomingly arranged. We believe it is every woman's 
duty to make herself at all times as pretty and attractive 
as possible. It is a sad state of affairs indeed when a 
wife ceases to strive for her husband's admiration. 

AVonderful fascination is in the little home for two. 
It may be a wee bit of a cottage with a garden at the back 
and roses climbing to the eaves. It may be a tiny flat 
in a city far up toward the roof, but if love exists, what 
matters the rest if it is crowned and blessed by the pres- 
ence of a loving wife. The husband's cup of happiness is 
indeed overflowing. A cheerful, loving welcome, a good 
dinner seasoned with pleasant chat, a cigar of a favorite 
brand, and who shall call the master of the house 'irri- 
table or infer that such a union is not a happy one. 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 

LOVER AND SWEETHEART. 

The period of the betrothal is the maytime of life — 
a promise of radiant fulfillment not unalloyed joy, to be 
sure — "the course of true love never did run smooth/' 
Even the sunniest ^May has its storms, though they be as 
zephyrs unto the storms of later seasons. The lovers' 
quarrels amount to notliing- to the more sol)er eyes of 
maturity. 

Too often are the lover and his sweetheart oblivious 
of the outer world. A certain amount of separation from 
the more prosaic inmates of their circle is not to be con- 
demned, but utter forgetfulness of others becomes mere 
selfishness. A man has no right to monopolize a girl's 
time to the exclusion of all her other interests. Duty to 
relations and friends is not less binding because a more 
dearly loved person has appeared upon the scene. While 
she is an inmate of her father's house, a girl's first duty 
is to her parents. 

A lover's respect for his sweetheart is measured by 
her reserve towards him. "The slip 'tAvixt the cup and 
the lip" may mean a broken engagement. The kisses lav- 
ished upon her bethrothed become a source of poignant re- 
gret if, for any reason, their lovers' vows do not end at 
the marriage altar. The familiarity of the present day is 



LOVER AND SWEETHEART ' 287 

in sad contrast to the respectful reserve of former days. 
Human affairs are too uncertain to admit of any risk in 
the matter. The freshness and sweetness of a girl are lost 
by overindulgence in caresses. 

During the period of courtship the lover should be 
freely invited to the beloved's home. It is fitting not only 
that he become acquainted with her, but that her parents 
be given an opportunity to become acquainted with him. 
No engagement should be sanctioned until a thorough 
knowledge of the suitor is obtained. If he is tactfully 
treated he will be led to reveal himself much more plainly 
to the father than to the dazzled eyes of the maid. The 
frequent presence of the girl's parents does much to pre- 
vent the hypocrisy practiced towards each other. The 
ever present desire to please causes the lovers to hide 
their real selves from each other. The faults are deeply 
hidden under an outward layer of winning sweetness. 

That there is such a thing as ''4ove at first sight" 
cannot be denied. That it is often the truest love cannot 
be questioned. As we are often instinctively drawn to or 
repelled by persons at a first meeting, it is not to be won- 
dered at that a man and woman immediately see in each 
other the realization of an ideal. Further companionship 
may increase or decrease such quickly aroused feelings. 
The test of love lies in time. 

If the attraction between the lovers is infatuation, it 



288 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

will reveal itself in the cold reality of marriage. A girl's 
lovability as a sweetheart may not be a sure indication 
of her fitness as a wife. It is for this reason that love 
affairs that find their beginning in a friendship prove a 
source of great happiness. The slow growth of such love 
gives each person concerned sufficient opportunity to dis- 
cern faults and virtues. Each has a tangible reason for 
his feelings. ''Love at first sight'' is a product of the 
emotions; love based upon friendship, of the intellect. Tt 
is true that the feelings are often tlie best guide, but it is 
just as true thnt in most cases, tlio intellect is t1)(^ snfc^st 
one. 

In some cases a long (engagement seems the only 
possible course. However, if circumstances so arise that 
marriage cannot take place for a nnniber of years it is 
better if the persons do not bind themselves. On the 
other hand, a hasty marriage is greatly to be condemned. 
A three months engagement may not be too short if the 
previous acquaintance was long. In the majority of 
cases a betrothal of a year is advisable. No hard and fast 
rule can be laid down. The time should be just as long as 
it takes to satisfy the parents and lovers that the union 
will be productive of true happiness. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

HOW TO BE BEAUTIFUL. 

The triteness of the saying, ''Beauty depends upon 
health" does not lessen its truth. The invalidism once so 
much admired under the name of ''delicacy" is now a 
thing of the past. To be sure, the fragile beauty has been 
replaced by the tensely nervous devotees of society, or by 
the overworked business woman or housewife — a fact to 
be less deplored because a realization of the uselessness 
of her condition has come to womankind and a change in 
the right direction is inevitable. Worry, discontent, and 
f retfulness tend to lower the general vitality, producing 
sluggish circulation, indigestion, and a torpid liver, to 
which many blemishes upon beauty can be traced. Until 
our homes are simpler and less an object of care and 
anxiety, until dress is determined by beauty, health and 
utility rather than fashion's caprice, until our tables are 
ordered with regard to physical well-being, there will be 
various forms of nervous diseases and lack of self poise. 

A woman should regard the violation of the laws of 
health as equally sinful with transgression of moral laws. 
True beauty can be obtained only by the most careful 
obedience to nature's rules upon exercise, fresh air, diet, 



290 WOMAN'S SECliETS 

clothing, baths and sleep. For a discussion of these we 
refer to preceding chapters. 

To be well groomed is another requirement to good 
looks. However, a woman who is well physically usually 
has enough self respect to pay attention to the minor de- 
tails which count for so much in preserving a good appear- 
ance. 



CARE OF THE FACE. 

The condition of the face is dependent upon that of 
the whole body. Improper diet, lack of exercise, unclean- 
Imess, any interuMl disorder, lack of sleep, or worry 
promptly affect the complexion and the expression of the 
face. Exposure to heal or cold is injurious to delicate 
skins. Any roughness due to exposure may be given 
certain relief by the folloAving wash : 

White brandy 2 parts 

Rose-water 1 part 

This lotion is far more valuable than a patent prep- 
aration, and should be used night and morning. A woman 
at least knows what she is getting. Prepared patent lo- 
tions are often put up by quacks and pretenders and when 
they are not absolutely useless, may be positively injur- 
ious. Ulcers have often been produced by them. 



HOW TO BE BEAUTIFUL 291 

To Remove Pimples.— Some pimples require a doctor's 
prescription. The small red com.mon pimple may l3e cured 
by applying the following lotion twice a day : 

Snlplmr water ---- -- -1 ounce 

Accetated licpior of ammonia. ...14 ounce 

Liquor of potassa — -- - 1 ounce 

White wine vinegar .2 ounces 

Distilled water 2 ounces 

These pimples are caused by obstruction of the skin 
and imperfect circulation, so friction with a coarse towel 
and exercise to promote the floAv of blood are most bene- 
ficial. 

To Remove Blackheads. — Blackheads, often called 
fleshworms. are caused by a clogging of the sebaceous 
glands. They may be pressed out with an extractor made 
for the purpose. The pores should first be enlarged by 
steaming or by hot applications so that consecjuent red- 
ness and swelling may not be so severe. An astringent, 
alcohol or some similar lotion, will contract the pores. 
The blackheads should be extracted at night so the red- 
ness may have a chance to disappear. They are often the 
consecpience of indigestion, and the diet may have to be 
corrected before any permanent cure is effected. Severe 
friction and the application of the follovring lotion are 
very efficacious : 



292 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

Liquor of potassa 1 ounce 

Cologne 2 ounces 

White brandy 4 ounces 

To Remove Freckles. — A very good lotion for freckles 
is that used by the celebrated Madame de Maintenon. 

Venice soap 1 ounce 

Lemon juice 1/2 ounce 

Oil of bitter almonds ^/4 ounce 

Deliquidated oil of tartar i/4 ounce 

Oil of rhodium 3 drops 

Dissolve the soap in the lemon juice; add the oils; 
place the whole in the sun till it acquires the consistency 
of ointment; add the oil of rhodium. Anoint the face at 
night, washing off in the morning with pure water, or with 
a mixture of elder-flower and rose-water. 

To Remove Tan. — An excellent lotion for tan is made 
of 

New milk -.-- --^/2 pii^t 

Lemon juice Vi ounce 

White brandy : Y^ ounce 

Boil the whole, skim it clear fi'om all scum and use 
night and morning. 

To Remove Yellow Spots. — To cure yellow spots due 
to liver or stomach trouble medicinal treatment is neces- 



HOW TO BE BEAUTIFUL 293 

sary. A useful wash to be applied three or four times a 

day is 

Strong sulphur water 1 ounce 

Lemon juice % ounce 

Cinnamon water — 1 dram 

To Remove and Prevent Wrinkles. — The best pre- 
ventive of wrinkles is a reposeful, self-controlled life. 
Indulgence in worry, anger, envy, or discontent soon sets 
its seal upon the countenance. Late hours or dissipation 
of any sort are an inducement to wrinkles. Massage with 
some good cold cream may prove valuable. The rubbing 
must be across the lines. Frequent ablutions and rubbing 
with a dry napkin are of use in the prevention of prema- 
ture lines. 

To Remove Superfluous Hair. — The only sure way 
of removing superfluous hair is by electrolysis. Any prep- 
aration of drugs acts as does the razor — it removes tem- 
porarily and a heavier growth appears. Many prepara- 
tions cause ulcers to appear. 

Care of the Mouth and Lips. — The beauty of the 
mouth depends primarily upon its expression. Its color- 
ing may be improved by the use of tincture of benzoin, 
but it will be only harmed by the use of paint. Nothing 
is farther from loveliness than artificiality and nothing is 



294 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

more artificial than paint, or, it may be added, more easily 
detected. 

To be sure of a sweet and clean looking mouth one 
must pay close attention to the cleanliness of the teeth. 
The brush is not the only necessary implement. A very 
valuable acquisition to the toilet table is a spool of tooth 
silk. A brush with irregular bristles on is the best. The 
teeth should be brushed up and down to every side, and 
the silk thread pushed up l)etween them to I'emove any 
particles of food. 

There are a number of good tooth powders, pastes, 
and w^ashes upon the market, as well as some very unde- 
sirable ones. A powder should not be gritty or rough. 
Pumice stone should be used sparingly about once a month 
to remove any accunuilation of tartar. Equal parts of 
hydrogen and listerine make a pleasing mouth-wash and 
one that will destroy the infecting power of germs. 

Above all do not neglect decaying teeth. Nothing is 
more detrimental to digestion. A visit to the dentist at 
an early period may save doctor's bills as well. Decay- 
ing substances give rise to fetid breath. Apreparation 
which will remove this odor is diluted listerine. It 
is best to buy listerine prepared by some manufacturing 
chemist, as it is often impossible for a druggist to prepare 
it properly. If you are going to wash the teeth but once 



HOW TO BE BEAUTIFUL 295 

a day by all means do it at night. The acids in the mouth 
are much more active during sleep than in the daytime. 

Care of the Ears. — A good preparation for removing 
wax from the ear is hydrogen peroxide diluted with water. 
Remove the wax by syringing. Never put any metal sub- 
stance in the ear to remove it. Instead, put in a few 
drops of warm olive oil at night and stop with a little cot- 
ton to prevent it flowing out. Be careful to remove the 
cotton. 

Care of the Eyes. — To preserve the brilliancy of the 
eyes never overstrain them. Do not read when lying 
down, in moving cars, or when the eyes are tired. Sties 
and inflamed lids may be relieved by bathing the eyes fre- 
quently with two parts hot water to one part of boric 
lotion. Absorbent cotton dipped into the solution may 
be packed on the eyes at night. Oiled silk will keep in the 
heat. If the lids stick together in the morning smear an 
ointment over them. To stimulate the growth of the 
eyebrows rub in a little Avarm oil or ointment. 

Care of the Nose. — A red nose is frequently caused 
by indigestion or some trouble inside it. It should be 
bathed every night in very hot water. Powder does harm 
by causing inflammation. The nose may be washed out 
by means of a douche, but never should be syringed out 
because the fluid may cause deafness by running into the 
ears. 



296 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

CARE OF THE HAIR. 

Constant brushing is the secret of fine glossy hair. 
An easy method of cleansing brushes is to dip them 
in a bowl of water containing a small portion of am- 
monia. This immediately removes any grease and stiffens 
the bristles as well. Rinse in two or three clear waters. 
The comb should be coarse toothed and of smooth black 
rubber. Never use a fine comb. Its use will injure the 
hair and do little good. 

Lotions are seldom efficacious iu the prevention of 
baldness and discoloration of the hair. A massage of the 
head is valuable at infrequent periods, but should not be 
carried to excess. Indeed, Mrs. James Brown Potter 
ascribes the fact that men are more frequently bald than 
women to the fact that they indulge in much more fre- 
quent treatments. Simple cleanliness, frequent brushing, 
and occasional massage are the only necessary measures. 
However, if one desires a lotion, the following has been 
proven good: 

Cologne 8 ounces 

Tincture of Cantharides 1 ounce 

Oil of Lavender % dram 

Oil of Rosemary I/2 dram 

The hair should be washed not oftener than once in 
four weeks. If it becomes too oily without a more fre- 



HOW TO BE BEAUTIFUL 297 

qiient shampoo, powdered orris root will be found an 
excellent cleanser, and one which imparts a delightful 
odor to the hair as well. It may be rubbed in the scalp 
and brushed out carefully. It is best to use castile soap 
when washing the hair. A good shampoo consists of raw 
eggs rubbed into the scalp. 

The use of hair dyes is much to be deplored for they 
are usually so evident. A simple, harmless lotion to 
restore color to grey hair is made of equal amounts of 
powdered walnuts and alum which should be allowed to 
stand for forty-eight hours, then be heated in a moder- 
ately hot oven with a pint of olive, cottonseed or other 
oil. till no more steam comes off. Then press out the pulp 
and put the liquid into jars for use. 



CARE OP THE HANDS. 

A well groomed hand is certainly a thing of beauty 
whether it be large or small. True, it takes a little time 
which a tired woman often begrudges, but the result of 
slight attention is extremely satisfying. Each night the 
hands should be scrubbed with a hand-brush — take care 
to brush the cuticle toward the wrist. Thoroughly dry 
them and there will be no danger of chapping. Kub any 
good cold cream into the base of the nails to soften the 
cuticle which should be pushed back from the nails but 



298 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

never cut. The nails should be trimmed to correspond to 
the outline of the fingers. Do not cut them too close. A 
chopped-off appearance is certainly unbecoming. If the 
nails are polished oftener than once a week they will be- 
come brittle. Rubbing them upon the palms of the hands 
after washing will restore their l)ri]liancy. If a woman 
wishes to keep her hands soft and white she may find it 
necessary to wear rul)ber gloves during hei* work. A good 
lotion to api)ly at night is 

Glycerine 2 ounces 

Rosewater .... : 1 dram 

Alcohol 4 drams 

Tincture of Benzoin 20 drops 

or 
Spermaceti (melted) 1 dram 

Almond oil 1 ounce 

Powdered camphor 1 dram 

Lanolin ^/4 ounce 



CHAPTER XXXV. 

GOLDEN RULES. 

'^ Don't make any affectionate demonstrations in pub- 
lic places. How ridiculous for women to meet on the 
street and fondly embrace each other." 

''Remember, perfect health is better than gold, — 
therefore, don't abuse nature." 

''Beauty and bad breath can not go together no 
matter how a woman may try to make them." 

"Women should keep young in both spirit and ap- 
pearance." 

"Every woman has three inalienable rights: life, lib- 
erty, and the pursuit of a husband." 

"Be natural and you will never be ridiculous." 

"It is not always the most active woman to whom 
men owe the most. There are women who by their very 
serenity, their calm strength of character, instill into 
man the deepest courage." 

"The most charming women are not beautiful, but 
beautiful women charm when they forget their beauty." 

"Let all wives beware of pulling too hard upon the 
matrimonial yoke: it looks stronger than it is." 



300 WOMAN'S SECKETS 

^' Every time a wife makes a scene through jealousy 
she tightens the chain of any rival who may exist." 

''It is not always beauty, position or youth that 
elect women social queens. There is a gift better than 
either, — tact.'' 

''Modesty is the unmatchable jewel of woman." 

"A woman need not consider herself so marvelously 
clever who wins a man ; any woman may do that; she only 
is clever who can keep him." 

"vSome of the most beautiful love stories are lived far 
from the roar of cities, where love means love and doubt 
seems infamy." 

"Woman may combine every grace of mind and 
body, yet lacking in gift of expression, she need never 
hope to become popular." 

"Man loves where he must; women must love — some; 
where." 

"Woman's greatest fault.— ? ?????????" 

"What a woman wants and Avhat she needs are con- 
stantly warring with Avhat she can afford." 

"Woman has put more spokes in the wheel of destiny 
than the Gods contemplated." 

"There can be no friendship without truth, but there 
can be a deal of truth without one grain of friendship." 



GOLDEN RULES 301 

'^Politeness is a gilt edged instrument that seldom 
fails to be rewarded.'' 

•^To marry and rear children, to become useful cit- 
izens is a location' even a clever woman might consider 
worth her while.'' 

''Women of very high intellectual attainments are 
swayed by strongest passions, though few will admit it." 

" 'Where shall I find happiness?' asked a timid soul. 
'Next door to content/ replied one who knew." 

"Until wives consider it worth while to be as interest- 
ing as sweethearts husbands will not consider home as 
attractive as the club." 

"When I learn that husband and wife never quarre! 
I know that indifference has set in and after that — 
the deluge." 

"A beautiful woman delights the eye; a wise woman, 
the understanding ; a pure woman the soul. ' ' 

"After marriage is the time for a woman to give 
especial attention to her appearance." 

"How wonderful is that woman who continues to be 
her husband's sweetheart through life." 

"The only sort of love untinged by doubt is love of a 
good mother." 
11 - 



302 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

''To control a man a woman must first control her- 
self." 

''When the final record shall be made clear I think 
we shall be greatly amazed to see how alike in their frail- 
ties were men and women." 

" 'Tis well to remember that the highest culture is to 
speak no ill." 



PART II 



Devoted to the Symptoms and Treatment of 

Diseases of Women and Children 

including care of the Baby 




In the prepartion of Part II, as in other 
jiortionvS of the book, my wife's assistance has 
been invaluable, and as a token of love and 
appreciation of her constant and untiring ef- 
forts, I wish to mention that much of the 
credit is due her. 




A 



iV\ 



V 



''What a piece of work is woman I How noble in reason I 
How infinite in faculty I In action how like an angel I In ap- 
prehension how like a'^Godl The beauty of the world." 



SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF PREGNANCY. 

Generally speaking, it is not difficult to ascertain 
whether or not a woman is jDregnant. She is usually 
aware of her true condition before she consults a phys- 
ician. However, in a few cases it is impossible to state 
with absolute certainty that she is pregnant. 

It is often important to learn if a woman is pregnant 
after she misses her first menstruation ; but unfortunately 
it is just at this period that the diagnosis is most difficult 
as the positive signs are not present at this time. 

There are certain signs and symptoms which give 
evidence of pregnancy, and we will mention those which 
can be noted and considered by the patient herself. 

1. Menstruation Stops. — This is very significant, es- 
pecially in women who have been regular, and from this 
fact alone the maojrity of married women do not hesi- 
tate to diagnose their own cases. In women who do 
not menstruate regularly, this symptom is not so val- 
uable, as certain diseases will cause menstruation to stop 
for several months and during this time conception may 
occur. In a few cases menstruation may occur once after 
a woman becomes pregnant. If this does occur, the flow 
is generally less than at other times. Yery rarely does 



308 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

the menstrual flow appear more than once after pregnancy 
has taken place. If it does, the indications are that there 
is some diseased condition present. 

2. Changes in the Breasts. — Pregnancy causes a 
marked change in the breasts. During the first few weeks 
there is a sense of tenderness and a pricking sensation. 
After the second month the glands begin to enlarge and 
one can often notice small blue veins just under the skin. 
The skin around the nipple becomes darker in color and 
the colored ring around the nipple enlarges. In blonds 
it acquires a pinkish cast while in brunettes it is a very 
dark brown. There are also little glands in this colored 
ring which enlarge and form little nodules. The nipple 
increases in size, become darker, and stands out moi-e. 
During the first few months n tliin yellowish fluid may be 
made to ooze from them l)y gentle massage. These 
changes are more characteristic in the first pregnancy. 

3. Nausea and Vomiting or Morning Sickness. — 

There occurs in the pregnant woman more or less dis- 
turbance of the digestive organs, especially affecting the 
stomach. This causes a sick feeling which usually occurs 
early in the morning and passes off after a few hours. In 
some cases it lasts all day and causes a great deal of 
annoyance, causing a condition known as uncontrolled 
vomiting in pregnancy. This sickness usually makes its 
first appearance about the end of the first month and 



PKEGNANCY 309 

lasts about eight weeks. It varies from a slight nausea 
to a severe and .continuous vomiting. About two-thirds 
of all pregnant women suffer from this more or less. 

4. Quickening. — This is the time during pregnancy 
when a woman feels life for the first time. It is a flutter- 
ing sensation in the abdomen and is caused by the move- 
ments of the child. This may be noticed as early as the 
tenth week, but usually occurs between the fourth and 
fifth month. Some women cannot tell when they first feel 
life, so this symptom, like the others, cannot always be 
relied upon. 

5. Changes Which Occur in the Vulva and Vagina. 

—The mucous membrane of the vulva and the opening 
into the vagina have a congested appearance during preg- 
nancy and the color is of a dark blue or purple hue. It 
is of value when associated with other symptoms. 

6. Bladder Irritation. — AVhen pregnancy occurs the 
uterus enlarges and tips slightly forward, thus resting 
upon the bladder and causing a frequent desire to urinate. 
This is most frequently noticed at the beginning of preg- 
nancy and passes off as the uterus ascends into the abdom- 
inal cavity, but recurs again when the head of the child 
descends into the pelvis a few weeks before confinement. 

7. Cravings. — A pregnant woman generally has a 
peculiar desire for various kinds of food, some craving 

llA— 



310 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

one article of diet, while others crave things entirely dif- 
ferent. There is also a mental change in women at this 
time. It is varied and no two are affected in the same 
manner. 




INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREGNANT WOMAN. 

Pregnane}^ being a normal condition slionld not make 
any serions change in the general health. Yet, oftentimes 
complications arise and it is necessary to keep snch a 
l^atient nnder close observation during the early months 
of pregnancy. A woman should engage her physician 
that he may keep her case under observation and give her 
the necessary advice in regard to her mode of life during 
pregnancy. It is not necessary for a woman to change 
her general mode of living to any great extent and the 
one main object in view is to keep her general health at 
its very best. Her physician should be a person in whom 
she has complete confidence as to his ability to handle 
her case successfully and she should take advice from 
him; should consult him in regard to her case and should 
not take advice from her lady friends; especially is this 
true of a woman during her first pregnancy. 

The fact that she is in the hands of a competent and 
careful physician will contribute largely to her peace of 
mind as well as to her general health. 

Exercise. — During pregnancy a woman should be 
encouraged to live out of doors as much as possible: it 
is difficult to say just the amount of exercise she should 
take, but it should not tire her. Such exercise should 



312 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

consist of walking, driving and a certain amount of rid- 
ing and automobiling, especially if it is an easy car; this 
is advisable in the early months of pregnancy, but not so 
much in the latter part. When a patient cannot take the 
proper amount of outdoor exercise she should take a cer- 
tain amount of massage in the hands of a competent oper- 
ator which will be found of much value. She should take 
frequent salt rubs and keep her skin in the very best 
condition possible by occasional hot baths in the evening 
and cold sponges followed by vigorous rubbing in the 
morning. 

Diet. — The patient should follow her ordinary routine 
of diet to which she is accustomed but she should refrain 
from too highly seasoned foods Avhich are hard to digest. 
The healthy child is developed by the mother keeping 
her digestive system in the very best condition possible 
and she should have an abundance of good food. 

Habits.— The habits of a pregnant woman should 
be that of the very best during her pregnancy. Her 
associations should be pleasant ; she should not have any 
worry or anxiety of any nature. She should develop a 
taste for good reading and be surrounded with all the 
comforts that it is possible for her to secure. The uterus 
is oftentimes enlarged and interferes with the movements 
of the bowels and produces constipation. It is necessary 
for the bowels to move daily and it is best accomplished 



PREGNANCY 313 

by taking a teaspoonfnl of Kasagra three or four times 
a day. Active cathartics and pills should not be used. 
Any other cathartic should be prescribed by the attend- 
ing physician. Moderate sexual intercourse during the 
first few months of pregnancy possibly does no harm, 
yet, it should be indulged in very sparingly and positively 
forbidden in the last months. 

Clothing. — The clothing should be so arranged and 
worn that it will cause but very little, if any, pressure on 
the waist, especially in the latter months of pregnancy. 
It is best at this time to dispense with corsets and wear a 
loose-fitting corset waist. In some cases where the abdo- 
men is very large and especially in women who have had 
a number of children it is well to wear an abdominal sup- 
port. A Storm Abdominal Binder answers the purpose 
very well. When large veins occur in the limbs the leg 
should be bandaged or an elastic stocking worn. Some- 
times these veins are located about the vulva and rupture 
during confinement. 

The Urine.— The frequency that kidney trouble 
complicates labor makes it necessary that the urine should 
be carefully examined at regular intervals, at least once 
a month for the first seven months and the last two months 
on the first and fifteenth of each month. This is very im- 
portant and will often prevent a most dangerous eompli- 



314 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

cation, and a patient who has symptoms such as scanty 
flow of urine, headaches, swelling of the feet or face or 
loss of blood no matter how slight, or constipation should 
immediately notify her physician. Six weeks before the 
date of confinement the expectant mother should pur- 
chase a confinement outfit and also what things are needed 
for the baby. This is fully considered under that head- 
ing. Her physician should be consulted about a month 
before the date of the expected confinement in order that 
he may make a thorough examination and note any al)- 
normal condition which may be present. 



WHEN A PREGNANT WOMAN SHOULD CONSULT 
A PHYSICIAN. 

As soon as the symptoms of pregnancy develop, a 
Avoman slionld consult a physician and place her case 
under his care. During the period of pregnancy if there 
is a discharge from the vagina, s^velling of the legs, con- 
stant vomiting, stomach trouble, varicose veins, rectal 
trouble, bearing-down sensation, constipation, diarrhoea, 
headache, especially when there is dimness of the sight, 
or when the nipples are abnormally formed, she should 
notify her physician at once. 

SIGNS OF LABOR AND PREPARATION OF THE 

PATIENT. 

Pain is the usual sign that labor is beginning. It is 
intermittant and of a bearing-down nature generally be- 
ginning in the back and descending to the lower part of 
the abdomen. It increases in frec|uency and occurs at 
regular intervals. Sometimes the first symptom is a sud- 
den gush of water. Especially is this true in some cases 
of premature birth. In a case of this kind notify your 
physician before the pains begin. If the pains continue 
and the patient is satisfied that labor is in progress she 
should prepare her person. The bowels and bladder 



316 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

should be perfectly empty.- Take an enema consisting 
of a pint or two of warm soapy water and retain as long 
as possible to empty the lower bowel. This should be 
done if the bowels have recently moved as it is neces- 
sary to have the rectum empty. The hips and genitals 
should be thoroughly bathed with soap and Avater and 
then thoroughly washed with lysol solution. Do not 
take a douche unless ordered by the nurse or physician. 
If the hair on the genitals is very long it should be 
clipped so the parts may be rendered thoroughly anti- 
septic. 

THE CONFINEMENT. 

In preparing the room for a confinement select one 
that is upstairs and has a southern exposure. It is best 
to have it devoid of carpets and draperies, but if the 
room has a carpet it should be protected by several sheets 
of wrapping paper or paper of any kind. If possible, a 
couch should be provided for the nurse. 

The patient should occupy an ordinary bed with a 
good solid mattress. If a bed is procured for the occa- 
sion, it is well to get a three-quarter bed. The nurse 
should have in readiness an abundance of linen, old 
linen being preferable. A rubber sheet should be placed 
on top of the mattress over which is placed the lower 
sheet and this should be covered by the draw sheet which 



CONFINEMENT 317 

is made by folding a common sheet. The draw sheet 
and the rubber sheet should both be pinned to the mat- 
tress at each corner. This will prevent the sheets from 
slipping and will keep them smooth beneath the patient. 
Two hot water bottles should be in readiness. 

THE NECESSARY ARTICLES. 

Make a half dozen pads out of cheesecloth and ab- 
sorbent cotton. They should be about thirty inches 
square and about two inches in thickness. These pads 
should be basted through the center and tied as the 
ordinary comfort is. Cut from cheesecloth three dozen 
pieces about six or eight inches square, fold, and pin 
around them a piece of old muslin. These together with 
the pads should be baked in an oven half an hour each 
day for two or three days prior to the confinement. They 
should not be opened until ready for use. 

A rubber sheet one by two yards and six or eight 
sheets of large heavy brown wrapping paper should be at 
hand to place under the patient and on the floor. 

One bed-pan. 

One three-quart fountain syringe. 

One bottle colored Corrosive Sublimate tablets. 

One small bottle Chloroform. 

Two papers each of large and small safetypiiis. 

One eight-ounce package of absorbent cotton. 



318 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

Two yards of unbleached cotton. 

Three ounces saturated solution of Boracic acid. 

Eight ounces pure olive oil. 

One ounce Ergot. 

One strand of braided silk. 

Four ounces Lysol. 

Two porcelain or granite pans or two ordinary wash 
bowls. 

Two pitchers. 

Five yards of sterih^ gauze. 

White castile soap. 

One medicine glass. 

One teaspoon. 

One can Squibb ^s Talcum Powder. 

One quart of vinegar which has been boiled. 

At least two gallons of boiled water. This should 
be prepared as soon as the confinement l)egins and should 
be boiled half an hour. It should be set aside to cool, 
but do not pour cold water into it. It would be well to 
have a small quanity of ice on hand as it may be neces- 
sary. 

CARE OF THE MOTHER AFTER CONFINEMENT. 

After the patient has been made comfortable by 
removing all soiled linen, the parts should be thoroughly 
cleansed with lysol solution (one teaspoonful to a quart 



CONFINEMENT 319 

of water). Following this, a vulva pad made of cotton 
wrapped in sterile gauze is put in place. This should be 
held in position by a T bandage. The vulva pad should 
be changed often enough to keep the parts perfectly 
clean, as this is very essential. 

The Binder. — This is a bandage which extends from 
the umbilicus down below the hips and is applied immedi- 
ately after delivery. It is used as a support for the abdo- 
minal wall and possibly tends to reduce the patient's 
figure to its original condition. It is not believed that 
it has any influence in causing the uterus to contract 
and should be left on only a short time ; however it should 
not be applied until after the uterus has contracted and 
all danger of hemorrhage is past. 

Afterpains. — As a general rule afterpains do not 
give any serious trouble and they ofttimes assist in caus- 
ing the uterus to contract. If any medicine is given it 
should be prescribed by the attending physician. These 
pains occur most frequently in first confinements when 
the uterus has been subject to great distention. 

Rest. — As soon as the toilet of the patient has been 
completed and the binder applied the room should be 
darkened and she should be encouraged to sleep. All 
visitors should be excluded for the first few days and the 
patient should be kept as quiet as possible for about ten 



320 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

days. However, she may be permitted to move freely 
and may be propped up during her meals. She should 
not lie upon her back as it has a tendency to cause back- 
ward displacement of the uterus. She should lie on her 
sides and change positions quite often. 

Diet. — A good liberal diet is allowed after the bowels 
have moved and the patient should take plenty of good 
nourishing food. A good hot drink of any kind that she 
prefers should be given shortly after labor is over. Dur- 
ing the first twenty-four hours the diet should be com- 
posed of tea, coffee, cocoa, milk and soft buttered toast. 
This is about all the patient will care for. On the second 
day soups, poached eggs, and raw oysters may be added. 
After that the diet may be increased each day with chick- 
en, fish, baked potatoes, rice, etc., until the regular diet 
can be given. 

Bowels. — A mild cathartic should be administered on 
the second day unless the bowels move of their own ac- 
cord before that time. A dose of any of the following 
may be given: A half ounce of Rochelle's Salts in a 
small quantity of water; a half bottle of Citrate of Mag- 
nesia; or a half ounce of caster oil. After the bowels 
move the first time they should move regularly every 
day. If they do not move of their own accord, give a tea- 
spoonful of Kasagra at bedtime. Some patients do well 



CONFINEMENT 321 

on Phenolax, one tablet at bedtime, or one or two 
teaspoonfiils of Compound Licorice Powder. After each 
movement of the bowels and after urinating the parts 
should be irrigated and washed with pledgets of cotton 
soaked in lysol solution. 

The Temperature.— The temperature should be care- 
fully watched during the first few days to note if there 
is any infection taking place. The physician should be 
notified at once if there is any rise in temperature. 

The Kidneys — The patient should urmate within six 
hours after delivery. When she is unable to do so she 
should be catheterized, but this should not be done until 
the bladder forms quite a tumor above the pelvic bone 
and when the patient feels a desire to urinate prop her up 
in a sitting position. This is better than resorting to 
catheterization as ofttimes when this is once done it must 
be continued for several days. However, if the patient 
must be catheterized, it should be done by the physician 
or a trained nurse. 

Time to Rise from the Confinement Bed. — It is im- 
possible to set any fixed date for allowing the patient to 
sit up. Most women figure that ten days is the proper 
time, but she should be kept in bed until the uterus is 
well contracted, and in normal cases it takes six weeks 
for the uterus to regain its normal size. Therefore, two 



322 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

weeks in bed is not too long for the ordinary case. If 
there are complications or the patient is unusually weak, a 
much longer time should be spent in bed. The best 
method is for the patient to sit up an hour the first 
day, two hours the second day, and so on, increasing the 
time an hour each day until she is able to be up all the 
time. She should be kept in her room three weeks and 
during the fourth week may be allowed to move about, 
but should not go below stairs until this time. In some 
cases the duties of the housewife compel her to disregard 
some of these orders, but they are imperative if a woman 
expects to regain her health and keep it. 

Before the patient is discharged the physician should 
make a final examination to ascertain if everything is all 
right and no treatments are required. 



CARE OF THE NIPPLES AND BREASTS BEFORE 
AND AFTER CONFINEMENT. 

The responsibility of caring for the nipples and 
breasts is borne in most cases by the mother or nurse. The 
attending physician expects her to keep them in a normal 
condition, thus preventing abscesses from forming; this 
is a very unfortunate complication which causes the 
patient much suffering and may result in artificial feed- 
ing. It is greatly to be deplored if a mother cannot nurse 
her infant and no effort should be spared to prevent such 
a misfortune. Therefore the breasts and nipples should 
be given special care and attention before and after con- 
finement. 

Care of Nipples Before Confinement. — During the 

latter months of pregnancy wash the nipples with soap 



l_Normal. 2— Flat 3— Retracted. 

Fig. 129 

and water often enough to keep them free from any 
crusts. After washing them apply a small amount of 
sterile vaseline and cocoa butter ecpial parts. If the nip- 
ples are short and retracted. Fig. 129, 2 and 3, they 



324 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

should be pulled upon daily with the fingers. This will 
elongate them and render them fit for nursing. The 
breast pump, Fig. 130, may be used for this purpose 
but the suction should not be applied with too much 
force. 




5 



Fig-. 130 — Breast Pump used to develop the nipples. 

To toughen the skin of the nipple wash it daily with 
a solution of alcohol and witchhazel, equal parts. In the 
case of blondes with very tender skin, paint the nipples 
three or four times a week with the tannate of glycerine. 
Any druggist will prepare this for you and it should 
be applied with a feather or camel's hair brush. Handle 



COXFINEilEXT 325 

the nipple gently at all times and if it is normal size it 
should not be massaged or pulled. 

During pregnancy the clothing should be arranged 
so that there will be no pressure on the nipples^ and if 
the breasts are large and heavy they shoidd be supported 
with the elastic breast supporter. 

Sore Nipples After Confinement. — This painful con- 
dition occurs more fi-equently in first confinements and 
in women whose nipples have been flattened by wearing 
tight clothing. Or it may be that they have not received 
proper treatment before confinement. In some cases the 
nipple is deformed. Fig. 131. 




1 — Polyoid. 2 — Mulberry 3 — Split 
Figr- 131- 

Excoriations of the Nipple. — Tlii.> is a peeling oflf of 
the delicate skin which covers the nipple and it is caused 
by the friction of the baby^s tongue and lips while nurs- 
ing. It is the raw surface with small elevations (papil- 
la ted) and is a strawberry color. The sore may be large 
enough to cover the entire nipple. It is very painful 
and often bleeds when the scabs are removed. To stop 
the irritation a nipple shield. Fig. 132, should be used. 



326 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



This is the best form of shield. It should be taken apart 
after each nursing, thoroughly Avashed and kept in a tum- 
bler of saturated solution of boracic acid. It should be 
thoroughly boiled once a day and should be washed with 
sterile water each time before it is used. 

Babies decline at first to nurse the sliield; but if hot 
applications are applied to the breast to assist the flow 
of milk and the shield is tightly applied to the breast and 
partly filled with milk pressed from the breast by the 
fingers, your efforts will almost always be crowned with 
success if you are persistent. 




Fig-. 132 — The Acme nipple shield, to protect sore nipple when baby 
nurses. 



After each nursing gently wash the nipple with a 
saturated solution of boracic acid. Dry well and apply 
the compound tincture of benzoin on the inflamed sur- 



CONFINEMENT 



327 



face with a camel's hair brush or feather. Apply two 
or three thin layers at each treatment, then apply an 
ointment composed of caster oil and Balsam of Peru, 
one dram each, and enough lanoline to make one ounce. 
Sterilize before using. Before baby nurses again wash 
the nipples with a saturated solution of boracic acid 
followed by sterile water. Also wash out the baby's 
mouth. 




Fig. 133 — Bandage properly applied for distended breasts. 

Continue this treatment until the nipple is perfectly 
healed. If treated early it is usually relieved in from 
twenty-four to forty-eight hours. If for any reason the 



328 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



shield cannot be used, apply the above treatment as di- 
rected, omitting the use of the shield, but if possible it 
should be used. 

Fissures or Cracks on the Top of the Nipple. — These 
cracks or fissures are extremely painful and generally 
bleed during nursing. The treatment is about the same 
as for excoriations; that is, the shield is used and the 




Fig. 134 — This is the best form of a ])reast pump to use. Care must 
be used in its application not to injure the nipple or breast. 

nipple is washed l)efore and aftei* nursing. The fissure 
should be gently washed with a two per cent, solution of 
nitrate of silver each night and morning. At all other 
times use the compound tincture of benzoin as directed in 
the treatment of excoriations. Fissures of this kind heal 
rapidly. 

Fissures or Cracks at the Base of the Nipple. — These 
cracks are usually on the under side of the nipple where 



CONFINEMENT 329 

it is joined to the breast. The treatment is about the 
same as for fissures on the top of the nipple. In addition 
to the other treatment apply an eight per cent, solution 
of nitrate of silver to the fissure. The best applicator is 
a little cotton wound on a toothpick. This treatment 
should be applied until the sore assumes a healthy ap- 
pearance, then use only the tincture of benzoin com- 
pound as for excoriations. Put a small piece of sterile 
gauze or medicated cotton just under the nipple to keep 
it from touching the breast so that the surface of the 
fissures will not be irritated. Put castor oil and Balsam 
of Peru, equal parts, on the gauze or cotton so it will not 
adhere to the sore. The nipple shield will not relieve the 
pain in every case and can be used only when it does not 
fulh^ open the crack. Cracks of this nature are very 
troublesome and slow to heal. Consult your physician if 
this treatment does not give relief. 



DISEASES OF THE BREAST. 

Distention of the Breast. — The most common dis- 
orders affecting the breasts are distention and engorge- 
ment. When they become so distended with milk that 
they are painful, feel hard, and lap over on the patient's 
sides they must be supported by a well fitting bandage, 
Fig. 133. 



330 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

How to Apply the Bandage. — Take a piece of outing 
flannel fourteen inches wide and about a yard long and 
fold upon itself and place next to the skin on the back 
and sides. Have the patient or an assistant hold the 
breasts well up on the chest. The ends of the bandage 
should come within about one inch of the nipple when 
the breasts are well drawn up. If necessary, fold the 
ends under. Put a little cotton between the breasts if 
they touch and under the ends of the binder on the out- 
side. Take another piece of outing flannel six inches wide 
and one yard long and fold and cut in the middle. Pin 
to the corners and ends of the wider band as illustrated. 
Insert two pins close to the edge of the chest binder. 
The double edge should be next to the nipples. Bring 
one slip above the breast and the other below, pin same 
on opposite sides and attach shoulder strap. This does 
not cause any pressure on the nipples and they are free 
for nursing without removing the binder. The binder 
and nursing the child are all that are required in most 
cases to reduce the distention which gradually disappears 
in a few hours. 

Engorged Breasts. — When nursing and the binder 
does not relieve the distended condition and the breasts 
become harder, larger, heavier, and also knotty, very 
tense, hot and tender, we have the second degree of dis- 



CONFINEMENT 331 

tention known as engorgement. For this condition use 
the bandage, breast pnmp, Fig. 134, and hot applications, 
]\rassao'e the breasts as directed. 



HOW TO MASSAGE THE BREASTS. 

Apply to the breasts a towel first wrung out of a 
hot Boracic acid solution and then hot sterile olive oil. 
This will render the skin quite slippery. Now massage 
with the finger tips as directed. 

First Motion. — Begin with the finger tips well out- 
side the edge of the breast and stroke gently and in such 
a way that the finger tips will terminate at the nipple, 
Fig. 135. Massage the whole surface in this way, paying 
special attention to any affected part. 




Fig. 135 — Showing First Motion for massaging the breast, using the 
upward stroke, finger tips open. 



332 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

Second Motion. — This motion consists of spreading 
out both hands over the breast as evenly and smoothly 
as possible and pressing firmly against the chest, Fig. 
136. As a rule this pressure is not painful. After this 
even pressure has been well practiced and all the glands 
covered use the third motion. 




Fig. 136 — Showing Second Motion for massaging the breasts, using 
both hands placed flat on the breasts. 



Third Motion. — This is accomplished by placing the 
tip of the forefinger near the nipple and making gentle 
circular strokes from the nipple to the base of the 
breast, Pig. 137, supporting the breast meanwhile with 
the other hand. Massage the whole breast in this way, 
applying a little more pressure at the edge of the breast 
than near the nipple. 



CONFINEMENT 



333 



Fourth Motion.— This is applied to force the milk 
out of the breast. Place the hands opposite each other 
on the breast with the upper edge of the hand so curved 
that it will fit closely to the breast, Fig. 138. Now apply 
pressure gently, but firmly, pressing away from the edge 




Fig. 13 7 — Showing- Third Motion for massaging the breasts, using 
the downward circular stroke, one hand, finger tips closed. 




Fig. 138 — Showing Fourth Motion for massaging the breast, using 
the palm and edge of both hands. 

12— 



334 



WOMAN'S SECRETS 



of the breast and towards the nipple all the hard lumps. 
In a few minutes this fourth motion will become painful 
then use the first motion, gently stroking the breast. 
If very painful, apply the second motion for a few sec- 
onds. Then again use the fourth motion. Repeat motions 
one and four until the whole gland is soft. From five to 
ten minutes for each breast is sufficient time. If the 
j)atient seems tired or exhausted before the treatment 



{.. 3' 1^— d-...^. 




Fig. 139 — Showing pattern of pressure bandage. Use a good grade 
of muslin. 

is complete, put the breast bandage on and after a little 
rest continue the treatment until effective. When the 
breast pump is used to relieve the engorgement it should 
be after the breasts have been massaged. Always apply 
the breast bandage after massaging the breasts and re- 
member to handle the breasts very gently at all times. 
If any hard lumps remain or the skin looks inflamed after 
applying the above treatment, report such a condition to 
the attending physician at once. 



CONFINEMENT 



335 




Fig-. 140 — Pressure bandage applied. 

EXCESS OF MILK. 

When the constant leaking of the milk is so great 
as to soil the clothing, the nnrse shonld keep the breasts 
abnnclantly covered with sterile gauze which will soak 
up the excess. The patient shonld be given very little 
liqnid and no starch or sweets and the bowels shonld be 
kept regular by Epsom Salts or Citrate of Magnesia. 
The excessive secretion at times is thin and watery and 
in large quantities. This will exhaust the patient and 
result in the illness of the child if it continues to nurse. 



LACK OP MILK. 

We generally find this state of affairs in mothers who 
are physically weak and mentally diseased. The baby 



336 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

is usually puny. This condition is generally due to im- 
proper diet and worry or malformation of the breasts 
or nipples. To establish a normal secretion the patient 
should be made happy and comfortable. Massage the 
breasts as directed, using only the first and fourth mo- 
tions. Allow a good liberal diet and in addition to her 
regular diet give chocolate, cocoa, very weak tea, oyster 
stew, barley and oatmeal gruel, eggs, and milk in large 
quantities. One tablespoon of nutrolactis three times 
a day is of great value. This is sold by all druggists. 
Beer or malt is also good, if the mother has been accus- 
tomed to the use of it. See that the patient drinks 
plenty of water and let tlio baby empty the breasts as 
completely as possible at regular intervals. The best 
stimulant for the milk secretion is a vigorous infant. 
Give daily sponge or full baths and briskly rub the whole 
body except the breasts Avith a coarse towel. 

HOW TO DRY UP THE BREASTS. 

1. Immediately after confinement. 

2. During the nursing period. 

3. At the end of lactation. 

If for any reason, such as death of the child, it be- 
comes necessary to arrest the secretion of the milk the 
following treatment will be found efficient. 

To dry up the breasts immediately after delivery 



CONFIXEMEXT 337 

before any secretion lias formed apply the breast band- 
age. Fig. 139, This should be snugly pinned. Fig. 
140, and the natural overflow under pressure should 
relieve the engorgement, but when they become too dis- 
tended and painful they must be emptied by using the 
breast pump, after which the pressure bandage must be 
immediately applied. It is best not to massage the 
breasts in this class of cases. Give one ounce of saturated 
solution of Epsom Salts often enough to keep the bowels 
moving freely. Do not allow the patient to drink much 
liciuicl. 

If it is thought best to dry the breasts up during the 
nursing period use the same treatment as in the case just 
mentioned, but the distention must be more frequently 
relieved by massage and the use of the breast pump. 

At the end of lactation, the time to wean the baby, 
there is rarely any trouble in arresting the flow of the 
milk. All that is necessary is to relieve the tension of 
the breasts by massage fusing the first motion), or the 
breast pump. Under this treatment the secretion usually 
ceases within a few days. Use the breast bandage if 
needed. 

The first two conditions, before the flow begins and 
after it is established, must receive very close attention : 
in fact this will apply at all times, and prevent the de- 
velopment of any serious mischief. 



338 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

HOW TO RECKON THE CORRECT DATE OF CON- 
FINEMENT. 

It is impossible to give the exact date when a con- 
finement will take place, but a rule that will hold good 
in a large majority of cases is as follows: 

Rule. — First consider the beginning of last men- 
struation; count back three months and add seven days. 

Example. — Last menstruation began September 1st; 
count back three months to June 1st, add seven days 
which would make it June 8tli, tlie date on which the 
confinement should take place. 

TREATMENT OF DISEASES OF WOMEN IN 
GENERAL. 

The many complaints so common in women are so 
varied in their natures that it is impossible to lay down 
a fixed rule for treatment, nor is it possible to give a 
home treatment which will be effective in every case. We 
have given elsewhere in the book a treatment for pelvic 
troubles in general and it may be applied for any condi- 
tion which causes pain in the pelvis. The headaches, 
stomach troubles, and general nervousness are usually 
reflex and can be cured only by relieving the diseased 
condition in the pelvis. 



CONFINEMENT 339 

PAINFUL MENSTRUATION. 

This we often find in young women and girls in their 
teens. It is caused by neuralgia, a low vitality of the 
general system, inflammation of the pelvic organs, unde- 
veloped internal genital organs, or an obstruction, gener- 
ally located in the cervix at the internal opening, which 
prevents the escape of the flow. The successful treatment 
of the affection depends upon the recognition and removal 
of the cause, and this can only be accomplished by con- 
sulting a physician. 

HOT FLUSHES. 

Many women have hot flushes during the meno- 
pause and after the removal of the uterus or ovaries. 
Great relief can be obtained by giving special attention 
to the general health. A hot bath lasting twenty min- 
utes taken at bedtime, and cold sponge in the morning, 
and the following prescription Avill prove beneficial : 

Ammonii Bromidi 2 drams 

Potassi Bromidi 4 drams 

Spts. Ammon. Aromat 6 fluid drams 

Aquae Camphorae enough to make 6 fluid ounces. 
Take from two to four teaspoonfuls every four hours. 




OUR BABY 



GENERAL MANAGEMENT. 

The first and most essential requisite in the manage- 
ment of the baby is the education of the mother. A 
12 a— 



342 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

physician needs hearty co-operation in the home. There 
are so many important agents in the diseases of chil- 
dren that come under the head of simple home remedies 
such as diet; fresh air, baths, massage, etc., that a child 
cannot be treated the same as an adult and no two chil- 
dren are alike in physical equipment. Two points must 
always be kept in mind,- — the benefit hoped for, and the 
possible harm which may result. The best possible rem- 
edies and the most careful attention are of little value if 
the patient is over-clad, kept in a stuffy over-heated 
room, or thrown in contact with people who are nervously 
exhausted. Some mothers become nervous wrecks from 
no other reason than lack of management in the daily life 
of their children. As system is essential in all other 
phases of life, so b it doul)ly important in the rearing 
of children. Beginning with his birth there must be a 
definite time for everything governing his life, — his meals 
must be regular and his nap insisted upon until he 
reaches the age of six years. His bath and airing must 
also occur at regular intervals. Thus do we insure per- 
fect health and development into strong manhood. 

A MOTHER'S KNOWLEDGE. 

The best success with infants is attriuULed prin- 
cipally to well informed mothers. Reading matter along 
this line is vastly more important than the much exalted 



OUR BABY 343 

cookbook. A mother must keep herself informed in ease 
of sudden illness. She must be able to discriminate be- 
tween a case that she can handle herself and one that 
needs the more skillful attention of a physician. 

Never look lightly upon a sore throat or a persistent 
pain in the stomach. Stop the milk and give a dose of 
castor oil with the first indication of summer diarrhoea ; 
then call your physician. 

Plenty of fresh air at night and outdoor life at all 
seasons of the year are fitting doweries to award your 
baby. 

A mother thus well informed may look for nothing 
but satisfactory results and officious relatives and neigh- 
bors will be forever tabooed. 

THE NEW-BORN INFANT. 

Naturally the first thought is concerning the cleans- 
ing process. A full bath should not be given during the 
first week or until the cord comes off. First, oil the baby 
with olive oil, then it can have a daily sponge bath; being 
careful not to wet the cord until it drops off. 

The mother's milk does not appear until about the 
third day. During this time the baby should be fed ten 
grains of sugar of milk dissolved in an ounce of water 
which has previously been boiled. Give it one or two 
teaspoonfuls occasionally. It should be allowed to nurse 
from six to eiR'ht hours after labor. 



344 OUR BABY 

The pulse and breathing are both much more rapid 
in an infant than in an adult. 

The first two or three days the bowels should act six 
or eight times in the twenty-four hours, the first move- 
ment occurring about twelve hours after birth. The 
first discharge is dark in color, but by the foui'th or fifth 
day it becomes a light yellow. At this time they should 
move tAvice in twenty-four hours. 

As a rule an infant urinates at birth or at any rate 
within twelve hours; but no alarm need be felt if this 
does not occur before thirty-six hours have passed. 

The mother should provide herself with the follow- 
ing articles for the baby: 

A good wicker basket, furnished as follows : 
A small fine comb. 
A soft baby's, hair brush. 
Puff-box and puff. 
Soap box and castile soap. 

Eight ounces of saturated solution of boracic acid for 
mouth and eyes. 

Tube of vaseline. 

Bath thermometer. 

One yard of sterile gauze. 

Pair of small scissors. 

An eiderdown blanket one and one-half yards long. 

Three sizes of safetypins. 

Soft towels. 

Plenty of old linen for wash cloths. 



OUR BABY 34 







The following is an average list of clothing neces- 
sary : 

Flannel bands ..-- --- 3 

Knitted bands .- -. — - 4 

Diapers — - .doz. -i 

Shirts (3 sizes) -. .- 6 

Flannel petticoats .- - - i 

Muslin petticoats --.- - .— - -i 

Slips - - 8 

Nightgowns - .- 6 

Socks - -- - pairs 6 

Wrappers --. -- .-- — .-- 3 

Jackets for the house — 3 

Shoulder blankets - - 2 

Small comforters ^ 3 

Care of the Umbilical Cord. — The following is a good 
dressing for the cord after it has been tied by the phy- 
sician : Take four or five thicknesses of sterile gauze 
about three inches square and slit one side to the center. 
Place next to the abdomen, cover the cord over with 
gauze and put on the binder. This should be left in 
place and raised up around the edge when the baby is 
bathed. It should be kept perfectly clean until the cord 
sloughs off; then in order to secure a rapid healing of the 
stump it is necessary to keep the parts perfectly dry. 
This is best accomplished by using the following powder 
very freely and then covering it over with a plain piece 



346 OUR BABY 

of gauze, after which the binder is applied. Change often 
enough to keep the parts from becoming moist. 

Powdered Salilcylic Acid grains 10 

Powdered Boracic Acid grains 25 

Powdered Amyl ounce i/o 

Powdered Zinc Oxide ounce % 

Have this prepared by your druggist and apply as 
directed. This powder can be used as a dressing around 
the cord before it sloughs off, as it will assist in causing 
the cord to shrink and will hasten its falling off. 

BABY'S WEIGHT. 

The average infant weighs about seven pounds at 
birth. During the first week it loses from one-half to 
two-thirds pounds, then begins to gain, and at the be- 
ginning of the sixth month its weight should double and 
at the end of the first year should treble. The average 
gain is from four to seven ounces each week for the first 
six months ; after that the gain is relatively less. A regu- 
lar gain is the ideal one. The following table devised by 
Dr. Carr will be found most helpful: 

Table of Average weight During First Year. 



Lbs. 



Months. 



Birth I 1 I 2 

7 IsWlOVa, 



3 
121/2 



4 
133/4 



5 
14 3^ 



6 
153^ 



7 

161/2 



17 



9 

171/2 



11 

183/4 



Months 
V^eight 



OUR BABY 347 

During the secoucl year tlie child gains about five 
pounds. 

A baby loses weight in all acute infectious diseases: 
also in any stomach trouble. If there is a loss of weight 
in an infant that is nursing, and no other disease is pres- 
ent, the chances are that it is not getting enough milk. 
This can be ascertained by weighing the baby before and 
after nursing. When it is noticed that a nursing infant 
is losing weight and the food and digestion are not at 
fault, it may be that the mother is pregnant or the baby 
is taking some infectious disease. It is a good rule to 
weigh a healthy child every few days and a sick child 
daily. 

APPETITE. 

Children often refuse food and this may be attributed 
to various causes; a poorly ventilated room, for instance, 
or the first development of some disease. A constant 
desire on the part of the child to overfeed demands at- 
tention. It may be caused by worms. Kidney trouble 
may be detected by the desire to drink an excessive 
amount of water. Never overfeed a sick baby. 

VOMITING. 

All nursing and artificially-fed infants will vomit 
more or less in health, but severe vomiting with a rapid 
onset is an indication of some acute form of stomach or 



348 OQR BABY 

bowel trouble. Remember also, that the acute infectious 
diseases may begin with vomiting. Uncontrollable vomit- 
ing occurring in the new born soon after birth, and per- 
sisting for days with no other sign of sickness, indicates 
that the opening into the small intestines from the stom- 
ach may be wholly or partially closed. 

The vomiting of blood may occur imder different 
conditions in diseases like measles, liver trouble and acute 
inflammation of the stomach. The blood may come from 
the nose or throat. Ofttimes an infant nurses blood in- 
stead of milk from the mother and vomits it up after- 
ward. It is well in all cases to examine the mother's 
breast when a newly-born infant vomits blood. 

The vomiting of bile has no special significance; it 
may occur in any severe vomiting regardless of the cause. 

CRYING. 

Kilmer gives eleven reasons why a baby should cry. 
They are as follows: 

Hunger. — The cry of hunger is continuous and is ac- 
companied by sucking of the fingers. 

Thirst. — Continuous crying which stops when baby 
gets a drink. 

Pain. — If caused by the pricking of a pin, the cry is 
sharp; if from colic, the cry is spasmodic, and is accom- 
panied by a drawing up of the knees. 



OUR BABY 349 

Wants Attention. — Baby very soon learns to like at- 
tention. He wants to be cuddled or rocked and cries 
until he is taken up and held. Begin when the baby is 
tiny to make him understand that you are to be obeyed. 
One of the hardest trials of a young mother's life is to 
hear her baby cry and not give in to him: but he will 
soon learn, and remember it is for your child's own good. 

Sleepy. — A baby often fights against going to sleep. 

Wet Napkins. — Always examine a baby's napkin if 
he cries. 

Tired of One Position. — In very young or weak 
babies changing their position often stops their crying. 

Frightened. — Babies are often frightened in a dark 
room or by bad dreams; then the cry is like a shriek. 
They should be taken up and soothed. 

Exhausted. — Usually by a low moaning cry. 

Temper. — A loud cry, accompanied by swinging the 
arms and kicking with the feet. 

Uncomfortable Clothing. — ^His band or napkin may 
become wrinkled and hurt him. Take him up, straighten 
his clothes, and he will stop crying. 

BABY'S FIRST HOME. 

So many parents make the grievous mistake of keep- 
ing the baby in the arms the greater part of his waking 



350 OUR BABY 

hours. This is not a good plan, for we are all prone to 
hold a baby too erect. The ligaments in the vertebra are 
not sufficiently developed to support the head and trunk. 
Spinal curvature is often induced in this way. On the 
other hand, do not allow a child to occupy its crib con- 
stantly. A good-sized clothes basket equipped with a 
good-sized pillow makes a safe playground for a baby 
until it attempts to walk or stand. At this time an exer- 
cise pen may be constructed — built on the plan of a large 
crib, so that the baby may be kept off the floor, away 
from draughts, stoves, older and rougher children, and 
still be given the opportunity for good active exercise. 

SLEEP. 

There is no other one thing so essential for a baby 
as good normal sleep. During the first few days of a 
baby's life the sleep is almost unbroken except when it 
is fed. Twenty-two hours each day are spent in sleep 
during the first month. At the sixth month the child 
should sleep from six P. M. to six A. M., with no other 
interruption than for feeding. The day naps can be 
shortened gradually as the child grows older. Be regu- 
lar about his nap and no difficulty w^ill arise concerning it. 

BREATHING. 

When a child breathes through the mouth, sleeps 
with the mouth open, snores in the sleep, and has a gen- 



OUR BABY 351 

eral stupid appearance, consult your physician. These 
symptoms reveal the fact that the child has enlarged 
tonsils, adenoid growths in the back of the throat, or 
possibh^ a tumor in the nose. A child thus afflicted fails 
to increase in weight and the face is disfigured by a 
broadening of the nose at the base. Do not neglect this 
mouth-breathing, as it destroys a child's vitality very 
rapidly. 

KISSING. 

Never kiss a baby on the mouth, as disease is apt to 
be communicated in this manner. Parents should not 
only desist from this habit, but should insist on nurses 
and friends refraining from kissing the baby. 

WEAK INFANTS AND DELICATE CHILDREN. 

In the management of premature or delicate children 
three things should be considered: The air the child 
breathes, the nourishment, and the maintenance of bodily 
heat. A premature baby should be handled only when 
absolutely necessary and then in the gentlest manner 
possible. Use oil instead of water for cleansing during 
the first few weeks. Heat must be supplied artificially 
because the heat centers of the body are undeveloped. 
The stomach is small and the digestive powers weak, there- 
fore the food must be of an easily assimilable character. 
While incubators are of great value in regulating the 



352 OUR BABY 

heat, they are defective in supplying fresh air. We know 
of no better means of supplying artificial heat than by 
the use of the electrotherm. It is simple in construction 
and can be attached to any electric fixture like a drop 
light. It is placed between two or three thicknesses of 
blankets upon which the infant is lying in its little crib. 
The heat is readily regulated by the amount of electricity 
used. The body is kept at a uniform heat, and still a 
good supply of fresh air is given. The child's vitality is 
quickly lowered by allowing it to breathe air that is too 
warm. It is often kept at eighty or ninety degrees when 
it should be from seventy to seventy-two degrees. 

Breast milk is almost a necessity for the premature 
baby, and if the mother is unable to supply it a wet nurse 
should be procured. If the baby is not able to nurse, 
use a breast pump for sufficiant milk to nourish it. Four- 
teen to fifteen feedings may be given during twenty-four 
hours, allowing the amount to depend upon the digestive 
ability of the child. 

Never lose sight of the fact that a premature child 
is handicapped and needs unusual advantages. It rarely 
catches up in the first year, and sometimes not for two or 
three years. 

BATHING THE BABY. 

Mothers often entertain an incorrect idea in regard 
to bathing a baby when it is suffering from a cold. The 



OUR BABY 353 

work of the skin in carrying off a cold is only aided by 
keeping the pores open and thus assisting the process. 
There is no better means than a bath in weak salt water 
(a teaspoonfnl of salt to a gallon of water) at a tempera- 
ture of eighty-five to ninety degrees, followed by brisk 
rubbing. It is the sudden chill from undressing a child 
in a cold room that has bad results, not the bath itself. 
See that the temperature of the room in which you bathe 
a delicate child is raised to eighty degrees and it will 
never suffer from the effects. 

THE SICK ROOM. 

During the cold weather try to obtain a southern 
exposure where the sun has free access and in the summer 
the cooler the room the better. Remove all draperies or 
use only those which can be washed. The bare floor is 
better than a carpet. Keep the furnishings as simple and 
sanitary as possible. A sick child kept in an overheated, 
badly ventilated room is certainly at a disadvantage. 

THE NURSE. 

Much importance must be attached to the selection of 
the help with whom we intrust the care of our children. 
A nursery maid should be schooled for her position, but 
at any rate be sure that she fiJls the bill from a physical 
point of view. Nursery maids often develop pulmonary 



354 OUR BABY 

tuberculosis. The lungs, nose, throat and teeth should 
be examined before they are allowed to assume a position. 
An impatient, ill-natured nurse should be forced to seek 
other employment. 

THE FEEDING OF INFANTS AND CHILDREN. 

In this chapter we will endeavor to give in detail the 
feeding of children in a manner which will be most valu- 
able to the mother. Fixed rules will be given without 
going into the reason in detail. Formulas for artificial 
feeding and diet lists which have given the best results 
will be given due consideration. The chemistry and com- 
position of food will not be discussed, for it is confusing 
and of no value to the average mother. A careful re- 
search of the latest, best grounded facts that medical 
science affords has been . carefully considered in this 
article. No subject is so important or so fraught with 
responsibilities as the feeding of infants and children. 
More children die from improper feeding than from 
disease. Therefore, every mother should thoroughly 
master this subject. 

Breast Feeding*. — The feeding of infants demands the 
closest attention and best judgment. Every detail in 
regard to the length of time the baby nurses, the regu- 
larity and amount of nutrition taken must be carefully 
noted. No infant should nurse longer than twenty min- 



OUR BABY 355 

utes. and sometimes ten or fifteen will suffice. If the 
infant nurses longer, say half an hour, you may be pretty 
certain the milk is deficient in quality and a specimen 
should be examined at once. 

During the first month an infant should be nursed 
every two hours: during the second month, every two 
and a half to three hours. During the day wake him for 
his nourishment at regular intervals, but do not disturb 
him in the night between the hours of eleven and six. 
This will teach him to sleep during that time, which will 
be of advantage to the mother. If he becomes restless, 
change his position and give him a teaspoonful of plain 
boiled water or the same amount of a one per cent, solu- 
tion of sugar and milk. This is made by adding ten 
grains of sugar of milk to an ounce of Avater. It might 
be mentioned here with profit that sugar of milk water 
of this strength is all the nourishment required by an 
infant the first two or three days of its life while the 
mother's milk is being established. It should be put to 
the breast six or eight hours after labor and until there 
is plenty of milk, as there usually is on the second or third 
day. allow the baby to nurse two or three times during 
the day. These rules apply to perfectly healthy children 
only. 

When an infant is being nursed properly and still 
the milk does not seem to agree with it and causes stom- 



356 OUR BABY 

ach and bowel trouble, it may be that the milk is too 
rich and should be examined. If the mother does not 
furnish enough milk, the child will require artificial food 
probably at every other feeding. When this is the con- 
dition, everything should be done to increase the mother's 
milk. This will receive attention in the article on Care of 
the Breasts. 

The mother should be very careful as to what drugs 
she takes while nursing her child, as a great nuuay drugs 
can be transmitted to the infant through the milk. None 
should be taken unless prescribed by the Physician. Some 
foods, as cauliflower, turnips and onions, impart a dis- 
agreeable flavor to the milk. 

The exhausted condition of the mother after con- 
finement certainly calls for rest. Sleep is imperative 
and some sort of stimulant is required. Accomplish this 
by giving some good wholesome food at intervals; 
chicken or beef broth or some sort of gruel, for instance. 
If warm liquids are not agreeable, try cold buttermilk, 
iced tea, or iced champagne. Ice cream will also prove 
nutritious in some cases. If the pelvic condition is nor- 
mal, it is better not to give solid foods for the first three 
days, but turn your attention to milk, broths, gruels, or 
anything that tends to stimulate the milk glands. If the 
bowels are sluggish, give prunes, baked apples, butter- 
milk, or anything that will assist nature along this line. 



OUR BABY 357 

If they continue to be sluggisli and the milk is still in- 
sufficient, give a large tablespoonful of castor oil. When 
the bowels get regular the diet can be more general, con- 
sisting of breakfast foods of all sorts with plenty of milk, 
prunes, oranges, grapes, apples, soft-boiled eggs, eggs on 
toast, tea, coffee, cocoa, soups, not too highly seasoned, 
junket, gelatine, or custards. 

We often find infants who are wholly breast-fed 
suffering from stomach and bowel trouble, for the reason 
that the mother does not take enough exercise or is ex- 
tremely nervous. Menstruating while nursing or in- 
sufficient attention to the diet may have a like effect. In 
such cases the baby is far better off if removed from the 
breast, for a woman must keep herself in a normal con- 
dition. 

When to Begin and What to Feed a Nursing Infant. 

— ^After an infant is six months old and up to this time 
has enjoyed perfect health, additional food may be given. 
An infant enjoys a small piece of zwieback; it is hard 
and is good for the gums. The white of a raw egg 
(albumen water) may be given every other day, also a 
little weak meat or chicken broth in which barley has 
been cooked. The broth should be strained. An infant 
can have this sort of a diet if given sparingly until wean- 
ing begins. The flour ball, as mentioned in ''Artificial 
Feeding,'' may also be given at this time. 



358 OUR BABY 

It is surprising to note the number of mothers, espe- 
cially among the wealthy classes, who are unable to nurse 
their children. Statistics show that while ninety per cent, 
in the poor classes can perform this duty, only about 
seventeen per cent, of the wealthy classes are able to do 
so. 

The Wet Nurse. — If a wet nurse is to be procured, 
she must be a perfectly healthy woman who is nursing a 
baby of her own who is as near the same age as yours as 
possible. The selection of a wet nurse is of great im- 
portance and should be left to your physician. 

Artificial Feeding. — When it is necessary to feed a 
l)aby from the l)ottle, every detail must be carefully 
watched. It is appalling to note the number of infants 
and children who die each year from stomach and bowel 
trouble. The cause is invariably improper foods. 
Mothers who are compelled to rear their babies on a 
bottle do not err from lack of feeling, but from want of 
knowledge as to ways and means. A careful study of 
the following hints will give them an idea of the care 
that is required for artificially fed infants. A careful 
mother will study this important subject and rely upon 
the opinions of good authorities. Haphazard infant- 
feeding should be done away with entirely. Too much 
stress cannot be laid upon the necessity for mothers to 
consult some good book or physician who is an authority 



OUR BABY 359 

on the artificial feeding of infants. Directions obtained 
from sncli a source should be followed to a letter. As a 
rule, mothers and nurses are apt to feed a baby every 
time it cries, and this only makes bad matters worse. If 
the baby is sick and fretful it should receive even less 
food than usual. If a grown person is ill he cannot eat 
all the time, and the same is true of an infant. 

In artificial feeding one should go about it intelli- 
gently, adopting none but the best methods. Dr. Edwin 
Kosenthal advocates the use of the flour-ball which is 
prepared as follows: 

Plain wheat flour boiled in a bag for five hours; then 
bake in the oven until it is thoroughly dry and hard; 
break it open and throw away the rind and grate the in- 
side to a powder. For a child one month old use this 
formula : 

Formula No. 1. 

Scalded milk % pint 

Sterile water 1 pint 

Grated flour ball 1 heaping tablespoonful 

Place the milk on the fire and heat it, rub the flour to 
a paste in the water and add the milk. Bring this to a 
boil and put on ice to cool. Finally add enough raw milk 
to make two pints in all. Heat only the amount required 
at time of each feeding. Give two ounces every two hours 
to a child one month old and increase it one-half ounce 



360 OUR BABY 

each month. "When the child reaches the age of six 
months use the following formula: 

Formula No. 2. 

Flour ball 1 teaspoonful 

Rice water 4 ounces 

Raw milk 4 ounces 

Granulated sugar 1 teaspoonful 

If the child appears hungry after a bottle of this food, 
and the stool has a yellowish, pasty appearance, increase 
the milk and decrease the rice water proportionately. 

Home Modification of Cow's Milk. — Experience 
teaches that home modified cow's milk is also an ideal 
artificial food. Volumes have been written explaining 
and demonstrating this fact. Accept this truth and we 
will explain in detail how the modification is accom- 
plished. 

Selecting the Milk. — The best quality of milk should 
be used. Those who live in the country or in small towns 
can easily obtain good milk by teaching the farmer to be 
clean; but in the large cities, especially where there are 
no milk laboratories or certified milk dairies, mothers 
must trust to the honesty of the men who sell milk. It is 
difficult to secure the pure article from the average dairy. 

Never take the milk from only one cow when it can 
be avoided. Herd milk is much better. Jersey milk 



OUR BABY 361 

should never be used as it is too rich. The milk should 
be unskimmed and should be procured from a reliable 
dealer whose cows are healthy and carefully kept and 
not fed upon swill or other refuse material. Every pos- 
sible means should be employed to insure absolute clean- 
liness while milking. That is, regarding the hands, the 
milk pails, and the cows. 

Testing the Milk. — One can judge the quality of milk 
to a great extent by its appearance. It should not have a 
bluish tinge, but should be of a yellowish white color. 
This is also the best way to ascertain the amount of cream. 

Care of the Milk. — The milk should be cooled rapidly 
and placed in clean glass bottles or jars. When cool they 
should be sealed. When possible (especially if it is to be 
transported some distance) it should be packed in ice. 
If delivered immediately after milkin/g, it should be 
poured into quart bottles and placed on ice for six hours, 
in which time the cream will separate. In case it is not 
convenient to have ice, set the bottle in a pan of cold 
water and change the water often. When the milk is 
placed in bottles at the dairy the cream is generally sepa- 
rated by the time it is delivered. In this case the milk 
and cream can be used at once, but should be kept cold. 

Articles Required. — Equip yourself with the follow- 
ing articles for the home modification of cow's milk: 



362 OUR BABY 

A glass graduate giving the measurements in drams 
and ounces. 

A two quart pitcher, either glass or porcelain. 

One small funnel. 

One large spoon. 

One dozen four-ounce bottles. Later use the eight- 
ounce size. There is a bottle on the market called the 
Hygienic Nursing Bottle which is very good. 

One dozen anti-colic nipples. These have a round 
tip with three holes which insures a slow steady flow of 
milk. 

One ordinary saucepan for heating the milk. 

One high saucepan for warming the bottle. 

Some non-absorbent cotton for plugging the bottles. 

It is impossible to give any fixed rules for the arti- 
ficial feeding of infants, as infants differ as do adults, 
some requiring more food than others. What agrees 
with one may act as poison to another. Their likes and 
dislikes must be satisfied. We Avill give several formulas 
from which to choose. 

Having secured the best grade of inilk with the re- 
quired amount of cream, the following formula can be 
used to good advantage, as it is one of the best: 

Formula No. 3. 

Cream - - - IV2 ounces 

Milk — - iy2 ounces 

Barley water -- 3 ounces 



OUR BABY 363 

To every six ounces of this mixture add two grains 
of citrate of soda. 

The cream from the top of the bottle may be used 
or it may be obtained separately. In the latter case the 
cream should be poured from the top of the bottle and 
the milk used as directed. This fornuila has given the 
best and most universal satisfaction. It is the ordinary 
formula for a child three months old. From the first to 
the third month it would be necessary to give an ounce 
more of barley water, half an ounce less of milk and half 
an ounce less of cream. The proportions would then be 
four ounces of barley water and one ounce each of milk 
and cream. 

To make the barley water take one tablespoonful of 
prepared barley (Robinson's) and tAvo tablespoonfuls of 
sugar of milk (chemically pure) and mix this thoroughly 
with a little cold water. Stir gradually into one quart 
of boiling water and let come to a boil : then turn the fire 
low and let simmer fifteen minutes. If the ordinary stove 
is used, the mixture can be set on the back part of thi^ 
stove. This should be made fresh every twenty-four 
hours and is best if kept on ice when not in use. 

At each feeding the above formula is prepared: that 
is, the cream, milk and barley water and citrate of soda 
in the given proportions are warmed to the proper tem- 
perature. 



364 OUR BABY 

Citrate of soda put up in two-grain powders, Robin- 
son's prepared barley, and sugar of milk can be secured 
at any drug store. 

Formula No. 4.— According to Dr. Louis Fisher this 
formula is excellent for a child from time of birth to the 
age of one month. 

Raw cow's milk 4 ounces 

Rice water 16 ounces 

Granulated sugar 1 ounce 

Mix thoroughly and heat until the steam rises. Con- 
tinue steaming at this temperature for ten minutes. 

Divide into ten bottles (two ounces each), insert in 
the necks of the bottles largo cotton stoppers. Place the 
bottles in the refrigerator, l)ut not on the ice. Warm 
before feeding by placing the bottles in a deep saucepan 
filled with hot water. Let the food remain in this until 
it reaches the body temperature. 

Formula No. 5.— This is for a child from one to two 
months old. 

Raw cow's milk 7 ounces 

Rice water - 20 ounces 

Granulated sugar --- - 1^2 ounces 

Divide into eight bottles, each bottle containing about 
three ounces. Feed every two and one-half hours. 



OUR BABY 365 

Formula No. 6.— For a child two to four months 
old. 

Raw cow's milk 12 oances 

Rice water 23 ounces 

Granulated sugar 1% ounces 

Divide into seven bottles, each bottle containing about 
five ounces. Feed every three hours. 

Formula No. 7.— For a child four to six months old. 

Raw cow's milk . 22 ounces 

Rice water 20 ounces 

Granulated sugar 1 ounce 

Divide into six bottles, each containing five and one-half 
ounces. Feed every three hours. 

Formula No. 8.— For a child from six to nine months. 

Raw cow's milk 28 ounces 

Rice water 12 ounces 

Granulated sugar 1% ounces 

Divide into five bottles, each bo;tle containing about eight 
ounces. Feed every three and one-half hours. 

Formula No. 9.— For a child from nine to twelve 
months. 

Raw cow's milk 27 ounces 

Rice water 5 ounces 

Granulated sugar I-/3 ounces 

Divide into four bottles, each containing eight ounces. 
Feed every four hours. 
13— 



366 OUR BABY 

When there is any stomach or bowel trouble and 
the child vomits after taking nourishment and there is 
also an abnormal condition of the bowels, accompanied 
by colic, the milk should be discontinued and broths made 
from chicken, mutton, or veal thickened with rice and 
toasted bread crumbs should be given. This is for a child 
over one year old. If younger, use barley water, egg al- 
bumen, gelatine, or Formula No. 1. 

For infants under one year who cannot retain milk 
and are troubled with diarrhoea and vomiting, Fischer 
recommends trophonine in teaspoonful doses every hour. 
It is in this class of cases where the child cannot assimi- 
late cow's milk in any form that we are compelled to 
resort to prepared foods that are placed on the market, 
such as Nestles Food, Horlick's ^Malted ^lilk, ^Nlellins 
Food, and many others which are more or less popular. 
Suffice to say that the different foods mentioned can be 
purchased from any drug store and full instructions ac- 
company each package. 

In conclusion we wish to mention another good sub- 
stitute for mother's milk, which is buttermilk. To pre- 
pare it we add one teaspoonful of rice flour to one quart 
of fresh buttermilk; heat the mixture, meanwhile con- 
stantly stirring it, until it has boiled up three different 
times. Then add two tablespoonfuls of cane sugar. It is 
better to use new enameled ware in preparing this food. 



OUR BABY 367 

Buttermilk thus treated has a yellow color and in feeding 
it to children the Hygienic bottle should be used. If it 
coagulates it should be shaken occasionally. Some times 
buttermilk will cause occasional vomiting and diarrhoea, 
but it is not very severe and will subside. If it should 
become severe, it may be necessary for the physician to 
prescribe, but continue the same diet. When a child is 
accustomed to buttermilk, a change to sweet milk will 
often cause diarrhoea. It is well to remember that the 
stools from buttermilk feeding as well as from a milk 
diet have no fixed normal appearance. The buttermilk 
diet forms a good one for wasting diseases or for children 
just recovering from any acute fever. The same amount 
should be given and at the same intervals as any other 
milk diet would be. 

After a child is a year old begin gradually to give 
him a mixed diet composed of the ordinary foods which 
you are accustomed to using upon your table. Use dis- 
cretion and do not over-feed, especially at the evening 
meal. By the time he is three years old give him only 
three meals a day and put him on a regular diet. The 
chapter on diet will furnish a list of liquid, soft, and 
o'eneral foods from which to choose. 



368 OUR BABY 

CARE OF THE BOTTLE AND NIPPLE OF AN ARTL 
FICLALLY FED INFANT. 

We thoroughly advocate the use of the hygienic, 
graduated bottle. It should be boiled once a day, .scrub- 
bed with a stiff brush and left to stand in borax water 
until it is needed. Two teaspoonfuls of borax in a pint 
of Avater is used. The straiuht black nipple is preferred 
because it can be cleaned easily. Always turn a nipple 
inside out and clean carefully with a stiff brusii. It 
should also be boiled once a day. 

NUTRITION AND GROWTH. 

It is a i)itiable fact that children suff'tM- more than do 
the lower animals from hH*k of initritious food. The diet 
during the second yeai* is a])t to consist of milk, whicli in 
cities is of a j^oor quality, toiK^thcr with insufficientl\' 
cooked cereals, boxed ])reakfast foods, ci'ackers. etc. The 
food at this age should be highly nutritious aiul given at 
regular intervals. Eating betAveen meals cannot be t<:)0 
strongly condemned. 

The diet should consist of red meat once a day, poul- 
try, eggs, milk, fish, whole wheat bread, cream. welJ- 
cooked cereals, plenty of vegetables and fruit. 

The next important factor is good fresh air. ]\Iost 
American mothers are afraid of fresh air. The nurseiy 
should be Avell aired every day by means of the windows 



OUR BABY 369 

and a fire place if possible. If a child is delicate, dress 
him as if for going ont and then wheel him about the 
room for an hour Avitli the windows wide open, reo:ard- 
less of the weather. 

A growing- child should never be overtaxed with 
duties of any sort. The present system of crowding in 
our public schools is most deplorable. Xo child can do 
hard mental work and develop physically at the same 
time, and what do intellectual attainments amount to if 
a child is hampered by a weak or diseased body. 

ERRORS IN FEEDING CHILDREN. 

The bottle-fed baby suffers most from over-ft^eding. 
The amount of liquid is nearly always too large and the 
intervals between meals too short. Keeping a child on 
milk alone until he is a year old is also a mistake. 

Irregularity is another thing to be avoided. The 
meals should be given right on the dot. This forms regu- 
lar habits in regard to his appetite and it is your duty to 
discover the cause if he is not hungry. 

CARE DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. 

Too much care cannot be given the little ones during 
the hot summer months. The milk that is given to the 
child should be placed on ice at the time of its delivery 
and kept there until time to prepare it for the baby. 



370 ODR BABY 

If you live in the city it is best to weaken the milk a 
little. True, baby may not gain so much in weight, but 
he will hold his own and will get through the hot months 
without any intestinal disorders. 

Do not overdress the baby during the hot days. He 
is only human, dress him as you would like to dress your- 
self. Give him frequent drinks of boiled water between 
meals. Also give two or three times daily a sponge bath 
containing one teaspoonful of common soda to each pint 
of water. 

If the baby vomits or the stool has a greenish color 
this is a danger signal and the milk should be withheld 
for a time, and a dose of castor oil should be given at 
once. 

Fresh air is a very important factor at this time. 
Avoid the sun, but give him plenty of outdoor life. 

See that baby has a two-hour nap in the middle of 
the day until he is in his third or fourth year. 

No little stress may be placed on the mother's habits. 
She must be very careful of her own condition, diet, etc. 
If the mother suffer^ with constipation, so will the baby, 
and it is very important to keep his bowels open. Eat 
three good plain well-cooked meals a day and the baby 
will stand twice the chance of doing well. 

The simplest case of vomiting or diarrhoea should 
never be neglected. Give two teaspoonfuls of castor oil 



OUR BABY 871 

at once. Stop the milk and use barley or rice water until 
the physician can be called. 

WEANING THE BABY. 

The time to begin weaning a baby is at the eighth 
month and should be completed by the ninth month. The 
weaning should be gradual, by reducing the number of 
breast feedings and substituting the bottle, or if it is diffi- 
cult to have them take the bottle they can be fed with a 
spoon or learn to drink from a cup. This gradual wean- 
ing will prevent any trouble occurring in the mother's 
breast, and at the same time give the baby's stomach a 
chance to accommodate itself to the new food. The sub- 
stituted food during weaning must not be so strong as it 
would have been if the infant had been fed artificially 
from birth. Therefore, at first give a baby who is being 
weaned, food that would be suitable for a four months' 
old baby. The strength and amount of the food may be 
increased gradually and by the time a child is a year old 
it may begin to take milk full strength. It is best not to 
begin weaning an infant during the summer months if it 
can be avoided. Some infants will be very stubborn 
about giving up the breast. These cases will require great 
tact and judgment. 

Some mothers have an idea that they cannot become 
pregnant while nursing a child, this is not true, and a 



872 OUR BABY 

woman who becomes pregnant should wean her baby at 
once. Mother's milk after the ninth month is of little 
value, in fact, it is harmful, as it does not contain all that 
is necessary for the proper nourishment of the baby. The 
way to begin is to give the baby only one bottle a day. 
The child is nursed at its other meals. As time goes on 
the bottle feedings are gradually increased in number 
and strength. If for any reason it is necessary to wean 
rapidly, full instructions to dry up the milk are given 
under ^^Care of the Brenst." 

SCARLET FEVER. 

Scarlet fever is an acute infectious disease conniion 
among children — characterized by a rapid onset, vomit- 
ing, sore throat, fever and red rash, very fine pin point in 
appearance. 

Symptoms. — Languid feeling, headache, nervousness 
and occasionally in small children convulsions — loss of 
appetite and sore throat. These beginning symptoms may 
last three or four days at the most but usually not over 
twenty-four hours. The onset of scarlet fever is more 
rapid than any other of the infectious diseases. Often 
times a child may pass a restless night and be taken Avith 
a violent vom.iting spell on waking in the morning— it will 
seem very weak and ill, pulse becomes rapid, and a high 
fever develops within two or three hours. In some cases 



OUR BABY 373 

a sore throat will be the first marked symptom. The skin 
is hot— the eyes appear bright and the pupils contracted 
— the tongue becomes coated and there is a feverish odor 
to the breath. After these symptoms last from twenty- 
four to thirty-six hours the rash appears. The heat of the 
skin is intense — the appearance of the rash is abrupt, 
spreading rapidly and covering the body and limbs within 
four or five hours after its first appearance. The rash 
generally begins on the neck. In mild cases all parts of 
the body may not be affected. 

It is of a bright scarlet color, a uniformly diffused 
redness which disappears entirely upon pressure leaving 
a white, bloodless skin for a moment after the pressure 
is removed. 

The course of the disease is from five to eight days 
and the improvement is noticed when the rash begins to 
fall and the above symptoms subside. In about six days 
the skin becomes rough and dry, and scales begin to form 
both in large and fine flakes. 

This peeling process continues from four to eight 
weeks and it must be remembered that there is danger of 
contagion as long as this is going on. 

Treatment. — The patient should be placed in a large 

Avell ventilated room, with plenty of sunlight and a free 

circulation of fresh air. The windows should only be 

closed when giving a bath or changing the clothes. The 

13a— 



374 OUR BABY 

clothing should consist of the ordinary night gown, and 
light gauze undershirt and the customary bed-covering. 

The urine should be examined daily by the trained 
nurse or attending physician. This can be done at the 
home. You should buy a few test tubes and tAvo ounces 
of nitric acid for this purpose. 

If the child is bottle-fed reduce the food one-half, 
using boiled water, that is if he is taking four ounces of 
food, give two of water and two of the milk mixture while 
the acute fever stage lasts. 

In older children restrict the food during the entire 
course of the disease— during the acute febrile stage give 
a varied liquid and soft diet, composed of milk, broth, 
fruit juice and gruels. Do not over feed. Give plenty of 
water to drink. The ordinary diet to Avhich the child has 
been accustomed should not be allowed until from four 
to six weeks after the beginning of the attack. This will 
also depend upon the severity of the case. 

The bowels should move regularly each day. A glass 
of malted milk mixed with two teaspoonfuls of ground 
chocolate given for the last nourishment in the evening 
will help to keep the bowels regular. If necessary give 
an enema daily. During the acute febrile stage Citrate 
of Magnesia will be found of great service. Give from 
two to four ounces, according to age of the child and 



OUR BABY 375 

repeat if necessary. Aromatic Cascara may also be given 
in teaspoonfnl closes at bedtime. 

The most important treatment is to keep the general 
system in the very best condition possible and this is ac- 
complished by good nursing, strict attention to clothing, 
diet, sleep, fresh air, daily bowel movements, cjuiet, and 
everything that may promote the child's comfort and well 
being. 

Allow only one person in the room at a time and let 
this one be a nnrse who is pleasing in every way to the 
patient. Some children prefer their mother, others a 
stranger. Change the nurse if necessary until the child 
is happy and contented in her presence. To control the 
fever, nothing is better than sponging every hour with 
water at about 90 degrees F. Should this fail, the cold 
pack may be resorted to. Because the child has a rash is 
no reason that the sponging should not be used. High 
temperature at the beginning shows that we have a severe 
infection to control and this sponging and cold pack will 
lessen the temperature and heart beats and save the 
strength of our patient. Scarlet fever causes an intense 
itching and burning of the skin which is relieved by 
sponging and cold pack. 

A generous application of good cold cream twice a 
day will also be of value. This helps to prevent the dan- 
ger of infection spreading at time of scaling. 



376 OUE BABY 

Scarlet fever is a disease of childhood and nursing- 
babies rarely become infected. 

From four to seven days elapse after the child is ex- 
posed before the disease makes its appearance. The 
greatest danger of infection is during the scaling process, 
as it can be carried in articles of clothing or furniture: 
for this reason keep the room as bare as possible of all 
things which cannot be Avashed. 

There is no specific medicine for scarlet fever; many 
cases would pass through the entire illness with good 
nursing by following the above instructions but it is so 
dangerous and complications are so frequent that it is 
wise to consult a physician as soon as the attack begins. 

THE COOL PACK. 

That there is any danger in the use of cool Avnter in 
cases of measles, or scarlet fever is a mistake and we want 
to correct it at once by explaining it to the mothers. The 
cool pack is valuable in many instances and is prepared 
as follows: 

Use a rubber sheet to protect the bed, cut slits in a 
Turkish towel large enough to admit the arms and wrap 
it about the trunk and buttocks. This leaves the arms 
and legs free. Then moisten the towel with water at a 
temperature of ninety-five degrees. In two or three min- 
utes repeat with water at ninety degrees, then at eighty- 



OUR BABY 377 

five, then eighty degrees. Watch the temperature and 
cool the water accordingly as low as sixty degrees if 
necessary. 

MEASLES. 

Measles in itself is a simple disease, not dangerous 
except as complications arise. Very few children escape 
this disease and all depends upon good careful nursing. 

Measles is an infectious disease of childhood. The 
first symptoms may be easily mistaken for a severe cold. 
It begins w4th a running at the nose and eyes which makes 
its appearance about nine days after the child has been 
exposed. 

Sjrmptoms. — The first indication is a running at the 
nose, attended by slight fever and chilly sensation. The 
face becomes flushed and the eyes are watery and sensi- 
tive to the light. The child sneezes frequently and a dry 
cough develops. The fever increases toward night pos- 
sibly two degrees and by the second day the child is very 
sick. The bronchial trouble increases rapidly and is ac- 
companied by a headache. Soon a little rash may be seen 
on the palate. This appears about twenty-four hours 
before it is noticeable on the body. Three or four days 
usually elapse before the rash appears and then it may 
first be discovered on the neck and back of the ears, then 
the whole face, and within a day it extends to the chest 
and shoulders, and soon the whole body. Measles may be 



378 OUR BABY 

distinguished from other like diseases because the rash 
disfigures the features, causing a swollen, distorted ap- 
pearance. 

The eruptions leave in the same order in which they 
appeared and disappear entirely by the eighth day. 

Treatment.— While this disease is simple in itself, 
complications may be averted by making the patient as 
comfortable as possible. Keep the room dark and well 
A^entilated and the skin absolutely clean. Give two baths 
a day with frequent applications of cocoa butter, lanolin, 
or any soothing oil. Keep the child in bed until after the 
scaling-off process. 

Reduce the diet. If still on a bottle, dilute the milk 
with equal parts of boiled water. This must be adhered 
to only during the first few days. 

Give plenty of water to drink at a temperature not 
lower than 50 degrees F. See that the bowels move freely 
each day. Use an enema if necessary. Examine the urine 
every other day for albumen. The eyes should be bathed 
freely every hour or two with a five per cent, solution of 
boric acid, applying it with old linen which has previous- 
ly been boiled. Whether the fever demands it or not the 
bathing twice a day in tepid water is most essential. Fol- 
low with oil of some soothing nature as it relieves the 
itching, induces sleep and adds to the general comfort of 
the patient. 



OUR BABY 379 

If the rash is slow in appearing use a hot bath of a 
temperature of 105 degrees to 110 degrees F., occupying 
about five minutes for the bath. If the cough becomes 
troublesome enough to disturb the night rest^ give one- 
half to one tea spoonful of the following mixture : Honey, 
Glycerine and Lemon Juice, equal parts. 

"Watch carefully the temperature, the condition of 
the lungs and heart. Keep the air in the room moist and 
free from dust by means of a few drops of oil of eucalyp- 
tus added to an open dish of water and kept simmering 
in the room. 

The food must be light and easily digested and is bet- 
ter taken warm. If one adheres to these suggestions, 
complications are not at all apt to rise. 

GERMAN MEASLES. 

German measles do not require very much treatment. 
Watching the diet and keeping the bowels Avell open is 
about all that is necessary. It lasts only about six or 
eight days. It usually causes a swelling of the glands of 
the neck which may be relieved by hot applications if 
it becomes severe. This is entirely distinct from measles 
and a child may contract both diseases within a few 
weeks of each other. The symptoms are practically the 
same as in measles only in milder form. 



380 OUR BABY 

CHICKEN POX. 

This is a disease most common before the age of ten 
years, very seldom occurring after puberty. A young 
child better be kept in bed and always in the house. 

Symptoms. — Fretfulness, a restless wakeful condition, 
accompanied by a bad stomach, oftentimes backache, 
slight fever and general indisposition. An eruption like 
a small pimple with a white point appears first on the 
face and neck, gradually spreading over the body. The 
itching is the most annoying feature, as infection from the 
nails is apt to be caused when the child seeks relief by 
scratching. 

Treatment.— During the time of eruption the child 
should be given a tub bath. Some good cooling oil used 
after the bath will be found beneficial. The disease from 
the beginning to the time the crust falls, is of about three 
weeks duration and a quarantine should be observed until 
the skin is entirely clear. 

A sponge bath of tepid water with boric acid — two 
tablespoons of boric acid to one-half gallon of boiled 
water, should be given several times during the day. 

MUMPS. 

This is an acute, contagious disease, which affects the 
paratoid and salivary glands and may affect the breasts 



OUR BABY 381 

in the female and the testicles in the male. From the 
swelling of the glands until it entirely subsides occupies 
about ten days. 

Symptoms. — A stiff sore sensation in the jaw. es- 
pecially if something sour is eaten, and swelling of the 
glands are the first symptoms. Headache and nausea fol- 
low. The swelling fills the space under the ear and down 
to beloAT the chin. The temperature varies from 102 de- 
grees to 10-1 degrees F. Pain is caused by moving the 
jaw, mastication being for a time almost impossible. 
There is a ringing in the ears, dizziness and nervous irri- 
tability. If the child has reached puberty the spreading 
to the other glands is not uncommon and is the feature 
to be dreaded. 

Treatment. — As long as there is any temperature the 
child should be kept in bed, and until the swelling sub- 
sides should not leave the house. Put the patient on a 
liquid diet avoiding all fruits or acids. Keep the bowels 
well open. Control the temperature by means of sponge 
baths if it reaches 10-1 degrees F. If the pain in the 
glands becomes severe, apply cloths (old soft napkins pre- 
ferred) wrung out of hot water and change every twenty 
or thirty minutes. During the night use a flannel with 
warm camphorated oil bound over the parts affected. 

DIPHTHERIA. 

Diphtheria is an infectious, contagious disease cans- 



382 OUR BABY 

ing an inflammation nsnally of any mucous surface. It 
involves the nasal cavities, lips, mouth, larynx, trachea 
and bronchi. There is always a slight fever; the breath 
has a very offensive odor such as does not occur in any 
other disease. The disease is characterized by greax pros- 
tration and inflammation of the throat. In the first stages 
it is easily confused with Tonsilitis. 

Symptoms. — Tlie first sym^ptoms are a sore throat 
and a slight fever which increases quite rapidly some- 
times to one hundred and three (103) degrees Fahrenheit. 
In some instances the first symptoms are very severe, in 
others so mild that the child may play about the house 
several days before the disease is discovered. In Diph- 
theria a single small patch appears first on one tonsil 
rapidly increasing in size as the odor from the breath is 
noticed. Oftentimes the entire throat may be covered 
before any attention is paid to the disease. A discharge 
from the nasal passages may appear before it is known 
that the disease is present, and this discharge should al- 
ways be looked upon with suspicion for in these cases the 
symptoms are very severe and unmistakable. When a 
membrane on the tonsils develops the glands in the neck 
at the angle of the jaw become enlarged and tender. 
This is almost a sure indication of Diphtheria as it does 
not occur in Tonsilitis, or mild sore throat. The child has 
an increased temperature, perhaps mild delirium and gen- 



OUR BABY 383 

eral discomfort. Heart complications are also common. 
The severity of the disorder doubtless brings on a dis- 
turbance of the nervous mechanism of the heart. 

Treatment. — The delay in the use of Antitoxin is re- 
sponsible for a great many deaths from Diphtheria. Much 
valuable time is lost by waiting for even ten or twelve 
hours for the report of a culture. Giving Antitoxin at the 
earliest possible moment that you are sure of the pres- 
ence of the disease is the only safe course to be pursued. 
In many cases Antitoxin is given in too small doses even 
by persons who are familiar with its use. When there is 
membrane on the back part of the palate or in the nose 
never wait for the report of the culture, but give a full 
dose of Antitoxin at once. Repeat in eight or twelve 
hours if the membrane has extended or if there is no 
change in its appearance. If the membrane loosens or 
curls at the edges or takes on a granular appearance after 
the first dose it may be safe to wait twelve hours before 
repeating. Any lessening of the nasal discharges, or oi 
the offensiveness of the breath and the glandular swell- 
ings and falling of the temperature are all good indica- 
tions of an improved condition, but we cannot rest here. 
The clearing up process must be prompt and complete and 
more Antitoxin administered if this is not the case. Anti- 
toxin is an antidote for poison and enough must be given 
to neutralize the poison. 



384 OUR BABY 

The use of Antitoxin has reduced the mortality of 
Diphtheria from fifty to sixty-five per cent. Best results 
can be obtained by using it in its first stages. The patient 
should be kept in bed during the first week of conva- 
lescence and given the most nutritious food. As the 
strength and general health improve, physical exercise 
may be increased. Very careful attention should be given 
to the heart and nervous system. The kidneys also need 
close attention. The application of dry heat several times 
during the day will prove of benefit in restoring the nor- 
mal action of these organs. The temperature is rarely 
high enough in Diphtheria to require any means of lower- 
ing it. When the heart action becomes weak some stimu- 
lation is necessary. 

CROUP. 

Croup. — This is an acute or chronic condition of the 
larynx. The onset may be sudden or gradual. One of the 
early symptoms being a hard dry cough, barking in char- 
acter. This increases toward evening. Wlien the onset is 
sudden the child may retire in apparently good health and 
awaken in a few hours with a characteristic cough. 

Symptoms. — In some cases croup begins with a sharp 
chill, a sudden rise of temperature, rapid pulse and in 
some instances slight delirium, especially during the 
early or middle part of the night. 



OUR BABY 385 

Treatment.— For the simple coiigli the expectorant 
and steam heat answers admirably. This treatment 
should be preceded by a dose of from one to three tea- 
spoonfnls of castor oil. Begin the treatment early in the 
morning so that the fnll importance of the remedies may 
be felt at night when the cough is the most violent. A 
cold compress applied locally may be used for older chil- 
dren. See that the cloth is folded so that there may be 
six thicknesses of the material, wring this from cold 
water sixty degrees Fahrenheit and place it about the 
neck under the chin extending from ear to ear. Cover 
this with a silk or rubber tissue held in place by strips 
of cloth fastened at the top of the head, or a simpler way 
Avould be to take a perfectly dry Turkish towel and fold 
it in several thicknesses and use in the same way. All 
good effects are lost if this compress is not kept closely 
about the neck. The inhalation of steam is an effective 
remedy, but it is a little difficult to use it with only the 
simple appliances found in an ordinary home. An um- 
brella inverted over the crib with draperies of some sort 
to hold the steam in. is a simple and eft'ective manner 
when nothing better is at hand. Keep the child u.nder 
this treatment for from twenty minutes to one-half hour. 
In cases of croup the first object is to relax the muscles 
about the throat and dislodge the mucous. This is best 
accomplished by causing the child to vomit. For this 
purpose administer equal parts of honey and powdered 



386 OUR BABY 

alum until it has the desired effect. A mother whose 
children are subject to croup should keep on hand some 
calcidine tablets one-third grain. Keep them in a well 
corked bottle and in a dark place. These tablets can 
be purchased at any drug store. The dose for younger 
children is one tablet dissolved in a little hot water to 
be given every fifteen minutes until there is some improve- 
ment; then lengthen the intervals between doses. Older 
children can take two to three tablets at a dose. This 
remedy has proven of great value in croup. 

The evening meal should be very light. See that 
the stomach and bowels are kept in perfect order and 
it will assist in controlling this trouble. Use this treat- 
ment until your physician arrives. 

TYPHOID FEVER. 

Typhoid Fever is characterized by a continuous 
fever running a typical course and the disease manifests 
itself in several different w^ays at the beginning. It is 
a disease which affects the intestines and has a tendency 
to lower the vitality of the system and puts the patient 
in such a condition that inflammation in any organ is 
likely to occur during the fever or after it has subsided. 
The disease occurs in youth and early adult life and es- 
pecially in the early fall. 

Symptoms. — Typhoid Fever begins by causing the 



OUR BABY 387 

patient to feel very tired and worn out, with a desire to 
lie down and having very little ambition. There is a 
severe headache occurring sometime during the day. — 
usually frontal headache and occasionally very severe. 
Sleep is poor and a general loss of appetite and a dullness 
affecting the whole system, are the conditions which last 
for a week or ten days. The patient also suffers from 
flashes of heat with increased dullness and confusion of 
intellect. In some cases there is more or less pain in 
the muscles, back and limbs. The temperature increases 
each day and the pulse is more rapid. The temperature 
in the evening is one or two degrees higher than in the 
morning, but at no time is the patient free from fever. 
Usually at the end of the first week the acute symptoms, 
such as headache, pains and chilly sensations, subside. 
There is a continuation of the fever and it is generally 
the highest during the second week at which time it 
begins to subside. A case of Typhoid Fever usually runs 
a course of three or four weeks. As a rule it does not 
occur in very young children. 

Treatment. — The general care of typhoid depends 
largely upon the nurse. It is doubtful if there is any 
other disease that has had as many different kinds of 
treatment outlined for it by dift'erent doctors as has 
typhoid, and the main object is to keep the intestinal 
tract in as good a condition as possible and support the 



388 OUR BABY 

patient to combat the fever. A typhoid patient should 
have the best room in the house with plenty of air and 
absolute quiet and the linen should be changed every 
day, — oftener if it becomes soiled. 

One attendant in the room at a time is all that should 
be allowed. A typhoid patient should be sponged twice 
a day ; if the temperature is at any time over one hundred 
and three degrees, a sponge bath should be given every 
hour. Careful attention should be given to the mouth 
which should be washed several times a day with a good 
antiseptic, something like Glyco Thymoline diluted one- 
half with water, or some good mouth wash may be used. 
A child may be sponged in water at a temperature of sev- 
enty to eighty degrees for one-half hour; if the child 
does not object too strongly this can be done every two 
or three hours. 

A cold enema may be given if the temperature is 
running high. It has its advocates and will do a great 
deal of good. It should not be used lower than seventy 
or eighty degrees and unless the temperature is very high 
it should not be used. Possibly one of the best means of 
reducing the temperature and which will not cause any 
shock is a cold pack which has been explained elsewhere 
in this book. It is claimed by good authority that this 
controls the temperature better and more effectively in 
children than either the sponge or tub bath. 



OUR BABY 389 

Discharges from the bladder and intestines should 
be received in a vessel containing an antiseptic, bi-chlor- 
ide of mercury solution one to one-thousand; this is cheap 
and very effective. 

Feeding Typhoid Patients.— In feeding typhoid pa- 
tients many factors and conditions are to be taken into 
consideration. There is a great tendency to feed the 
l^atient on a strictly milk diet, but personally we do not 
think it is the best diet for cases of this kind. It causes 
a great deal of gas to form in the bowels and also pro- 
duces constipation and has a tendency to keep up the 
temperature. A diet which has given the best satisfac- 
tion consists largely of gruels which can be made of 
cracked wheat, barley, oatmeal, or any of the uncooked 
cereals. They are prepared by boiling for two or three 
hours two tablespoons of cereal to one pint of water, then 
add enough boiled water to make a pint, or follow the 
formula for preparing soft diets as given in a previous 
chapter. If the gruel is too thick for drinking, more 
boiled water may be added. This can be seasoned to 
suit the taste. Chicken broth or mutton broth mRj be 
added as desired. A few ounces of this gruel may be 
given every three hours as the age and condition of the 
child demands. A patient suffering with typhoid fever 
should have plenty of water to drink between the times 
for taking nourishment. Lemonade, weak tea, or weak 



390 OUR BABY 

coffee may be given in place of .the water. When the 
temperature becomes lower each day there can be a little 
increase in the diet, toast, crackers, scraped beef, and a 
soft boiled egg may be given. This sort of food should 
not be given as often as the gruels. This line of diet will 
support the general strength of the patient, which is the 
main object in view and it can be varied so that the pa- 
tient can be satisfied. Ice cream, if properly prepared 
of good milk with a very little corn starch added and 
eggs if desired, is most grateful, especially when the tem- 
perature is high and given in small quantities and allowed 
to melt in the mouth, as it does not irritate or cause the 
stomach to become disordered. Nutritive enemas are re- 
quired in some cases and will be j^rescribed by the at- 
tending physician, but the general nursing in a case of 
typhoid fever is the main thing in the treatment. There 
are many complications which may arise in typhoid and 
the attending physician will give the proper instructions 
in regard to such cases, but to keep the patient quiet, 
control the temperature, keep the bed linens in a clean 
condition and give the proper diet are the chief measures 
for the treatment of typhoid fever. Drugs to be used in 
these cases must be prescribed by a physician. Keep the 
bowels regular by giving enemas of normal salt solution. 
Flushing out the colon is very valuable. 



OUR BABY 391 

WHOOPING COUGH. 

This is a contagious disease contracted oftenest by 
children under five and very often during the first year. 
It is dangerous only when there are complications which 
may be brought on by a continuation of the cough. 

The child coughs in paroxysms, beginning with sev- 
eral short hacks and ending in a prolonged whooping 
sound from which the disease derives its name. From 
nine to fourteen days elapse from the time the child is 
exposed until it begins to cough. 

Symptoms.— The first symtom closely resembles nasal 
catarrh with a mild cough which soon becomes spasmodic. 
The temperature slowly increases each day and lasts for 
from three to ten days. 

The second stage is marked by a more violent cough 
which lasts from one to three weeks. This soon causes 
vomiting and thus weakens the patient. A child soon 
learns to fear the paroxysms and will run to the mother 
or nurse as if for help. As the severity of the cough in- 
creases, the face becomes redder and hemorrhage from 
the ears, eyes and occasionally from the bronchial tubes, 
occurs. 

In mild cases there is no evidence of the disease be- 
tween the paroxysms. The spasmodic stage lasts two or 
three weeks, in some instances, though, in mild cases 
there is scarcely any whoop at all. 



392 OUR BABY 

Treatment.— Whooping cough cannot be cured by 
treatment or remedies, but the attack can be shortened 
and we can lessen the severity of the paroxysms. The 
disease is so common and often in such mild form that it 
does not receive attention enough. The patient must l)e 
kept in a warm room with the temperature as nearly uni- 
form as possible. Keep the air moist hy means of hot 
water. This can l)e done hy dropping a liot bi-ick into a 
wooden dish containing boiling water. Add a small piece 
of unslacked lime, an ounce of vinegar and a few drops 
of either turpentine or eucalyptus. Do not neglect this, 
as it will greatly decrease the ])aroxysins and help to 
make respiration easy. A])()ve all lan^p the child out of 
doors as mnch as possible and s(M' that tlu' sl(^e[)ing room 
is well ventilated. 

A FEW OF THE COMMON AILMENTS AND THEIR 
TREATMENT— THE FEVER THERMOMETER. 

Every mother who has the care of children should 
purchase a good fever thermometer from her druggist 
and learn how to use it. The ''Manhattan/' manufac- 
tured by Becton, Dickinson & Co., is one of the best made. 
They can be purchased for one dollar at any drug store. 
When shaking doAvn the mercury in the thermometer 
one nnist be very careful that it does not strike against 
anything or slip from the hand. It is very easily broken 



OUR BABY • 393 

and should be handled with great care. The above men- 
tioned thermometer is in an aluminum case and is best 
for home use. 

In shaking down the mercury hold the thermometer 
by the end on which the screw cap is found and give a 
few hard shakes. This must be done each time after the 
temperature is taken and the mercury must be shaken 
down below the normal mark. The red arrow marks the 
normal temperature point and when the mercury stands 
at this point we say the patient's temperature is normal, 
which is 98 6-10 degrees. 

In any case of sickness the temperature should be 
taken at least three times a day and in severe cases every 
two or three hours. This will give the fever record for 
the physician when he arrives and also tells the mother 
how the child is getting along. The temperature is 
usually taken by placing the end containing the mercury 
under the tongue and letting it remain there one minute. 
If for any reason it cannot be taken in the mouth, place 
it under the arm and let remain two minutes. In cases 
of children and infants it is best to take the temperature 
per rectum, placing the thermometer just far enough in 
the rectum so that the mercury is not visible. When 
taken this way the temperature is generally half a de- 
gree higher than that of the mouth and one degree higher 
than that under the arm. 



394 OUR BABY 

CONSTIPATION. 

Milk is constipating, so it is little wonder that so 
many bottle-fed babies are afflicted with this complaint. 
A larger proportion of fat is required, so cream may be 
added to the milk for bottle babies. From one-half to a 
teaspoonful of olive oil given once a day will also be 
found of value. Try strained prune juice and orange 
juice. Encourage older children to eat foods which are 
laxative, as graham bread, oatmeal, plenty of butter, 
fruit, fresh vegetables, etc. 

Form regular habits Avith the baby at an early age. 
Hold it on the nursery chair after breakfast each day 
and it will soon learn what this is done for. 

For a quick movement of the bowels the simplest 
and least harmful method is an enema of warm water 
containing a small portion of salt, one teaspoonful to 
the pint. Soapy water often answers the purpose of 
stronger remedies, the amount depending upon the age 
of the child. The infant's, the hard rubber, or the foun- 
tain syringe may be used. A useful injection is one-half 
a teaspoonful of glycerine mixed with four or five times 
as much water. 

If the baby's bowels do not move naturally every 
day, see that they do before it is put to bed for the night. 
This may be best accomplished by using a simple warm 
water enema. No harm will result from this, even thou^fh 



r 



OUR BABY 395 

it should be used every night for some time. Do not get 
into the habit of giving castor oil, as it will cause consti- 
pation instead of relieving it. The following is a good 
formula : 

Kasagra - 1 ounce 

Glycerine -1 ounce 

Give the baby five or ten drops of this mixture two 
or three time a day and see that it has an occasional drink 
of boiled water. 

Glycerine suppositories are also of great value, sim- 
ple to use and very effective. If you haven't any of 
these in the house, make some little suppositories of cas- 
tile soap, about two inches long and half an inch thick 
at the base and tapering to a point. Dip it in warm water 
and then insert part way into the rectum and hold there 
until the bowels start to move. 

TREATMENT OF COLDS. 

The process of taking cold affects the entire body, 
but most commonly manifests itself in congestion of the 
mucous membrane. No two children are alike in this re- 
spect. One may endure any amount of exposure with 
little danger of taking cold, while the other is susceptible 
to the slightest change. The most frequent cause of colds 
especially in infants is the eft'ect of cold air upon a moist 
skin. Hence a child that perspires freely suft'ers most 



396 OUR BABY 

in this respect, especially during the cold season. The 
head is too often neglected when the child is dressed 
for out-door exercise. The Avhole body is covered with 
warm clothing, the legs and arms are thrown about, thus 
creating undue perspiration, then the little head is cov- 
ered only by a thin sort of material. The little lace crea- 
tions and caps sold for infants' wear and so much to be 
admired, prove of untold injury and detriment. The 
child is then taken out into a cold wind and the wonder 
grows why he should have taken cold. Allowing a baby 
to sit upon the floor, and kicking off the bed covering 
at night are also frequent causes for cold. The tempera- 
ture of the children's sleeping room should be as nearly 
uniform during the day and night as it is possible to 
have it. Many persons have the incorrect idea that the 
child takes cold during its bath. It is more often due 
to most any other cause. Either pin the bed blanket to 
the mattress or clothe the child in combinations with the 
feet and you will prevent many a cold. Nursing babies 
are often afflicted with what is commonly called snuffles, 
or a cold in the head. A drop or two of heated sweet oil 
rubbed over the bridge of the nose is a simple remedy 
and will often relieve it. Drugs are hardly more efi^ective 
in treatment of a cold than are the little simple home 
remedies that every mother should understand, and be 
able to use. A good hot foot bath and plenty of hot drinks 



OUR BABY 397 

to induce profuse perspiration should be used at the onset 
of the disease, especially as the child is about to retire. 
Great care should be exercised after this treatment to 
avoid all exposure from draughts, as another attack is 
more apt to follow. See that the bowels move once in 
twenty-four hours, thougii a good thorough physic is an 
excellent means of ridding the patient of a cold; give 
Laxol. 

TONGUE TIE. 

This is a condition caused by the muscles or under 
part of the tongue being too short and tight, thus pre- 
venting the free use of the tongue. It also interferes with 
nursing. This can be remedied by clipping the little cord 
with curved scissors. Wrap the child in a large towel 
so that the arms are fastened to the sides, then place it 
on its back in the nurse's lap or on a table and hold 
the head securely. Bleeding is usually so slight that it 
needs no consideration : this should be done by the physi- 
cian. 

THRUSH. 

Thrush.— A disease which affects the mucous membrane 

in the mouth of infants. It makes its appearance in the 

form of small white masses about as large as the head 

of a pin. They form on the tongue and inside of the 

14— 



398 OUR BABY 

cheeks, giving it the appearance of being covered with 
curdled milk. The growth adheres firmly and will bleed 
if removed forcibly. The disease is not contagions and 
can easily be cured in a week if directions for treatment 
are followed. 

Treatment.— If the child is fed from the mother ^s 
breast, see that the nipples are well cleansed with a sat- 
urated solution of boric acid before and after nursing. 
If it is a bottle-fed infant, see that the nipples and bottle 
are boiled carefully after each nursing. Wash the baby'si 
mouth with a saturated solution of potassium chlorate 
(potash) several times a day. To do this, wrap a piece* 
of absorbent cotton about the index finger and wash the 
mouth carefully in this manner. If the child persists in 
refusing the bottle or breast, spoon feeding may have 
to be resorted to for a few days, or if the child is nursing 
draw the milk from the breast by means of a breast- 
pump and feed to the child in the same manner. If this 
does not give immediate relief, report the case to your 
physician. 

WORMS. 

In the great majority of cases no symptoms are pres- 
ent until the worms are discovered after they have passed 
the rectum. There are three principal species of worms 
to be found in children: The thread worm, the round 



OUR BABY 399 

worm and the tape worm. Worms either produce defi- 
nite symptoms or none at all. They may produce itching 
at the opening of the bowel, picking at the nose, disor- 
dered digestion, grinding the teeth and other indications 
of restlessness, and sometimes even convulsions. The 
thread worm closely resembles a small piece of cotton 
thread about one-half inch long. Absolute cleanliness is 
the best means of treating this, with an injection every 
other night for a week or two, with as much of an infusion 
of Quassia as the child can hold comfortably. The round 
worms are from four to twelve inches long and are of a 
reddish white color. They may be present in the bowels 
in large numbers. Never give worm medicine, except as 
prescribed by your family physician. Tape worms are 
occasionally found in children. The only means of recog- 
nizing its existence is the discovery of portions of it in 
the passages. The treatment of this disease is beyond 
the skill of the mother, as it is essential to remove the 
head to prevent the forming of another. 

COLIC. 

Very few children escape this disease during the first 
year. In most cases the child thrives in spite of the dis- 
ease, while in other instances indigestion exists to such 
an extent that the conditions may prove most serious. 
The ready decomposition of milk in the intestines ex- 



400 OUR BABY 

plains the frequency of colic in babies, although any con- 
dition that would cause indigestion may at the same time 
be the cause of colic. Too large a quantity of milk given 
is a frequent cause of colic. It may also be due to de- 
fective bowel action. Any condition which may have an 
irritating effect upon the child's nervous system, such as 
fright, excitement or anger, are very apt to produce colic. 
A baby often nurses this condition from an irritable, over- 
wrought or nervous mother. Constipation in the mother 
is also a frequent cause. 

Symptoms. — Severe pain in tlu* abdomen usually due 
to gas is one of th(^ never-failing symptoms. The child 
makes this understood by suddiMi and violent crying. The 
abdomen is hard and swoIIcmi ; the legs and arms are 
alternately doubled up and straightened out and the feet 
usually cold. To prevent rei)eated attacks diminish the 
amount of time between the meals. 

The body shold be warmly and uniformly clad, paying 
special attention to the covering over the abdomen and 
allowing no portion of the body to be without flannel 
covering. Good woolen stockings which will cover the 
knees are essential. 

Treatment.— Never feed a baby during an attack 
of colic. The Avarm milk may stop the crying for a mo 
ment, but it only adds to the indigestion. Rub the ab- 
domen for several moments and change the child's posi- 



OUR BABY 401 

tion by lifting over your shoulder, as it may cause the 
gas to escape and ease the colic. A small hot water bag 
will also be found of use. A few drops of peppermint or 
brandy in a little hot sweetened water will relieve it for 
the time being. If these simple remedies do not relieve 
the child, it is beyond the mother's treatment and a 
physician should be consulted. Do not give paregoric, 
as it contains morphine. 

EARACHE. 

It is sometimes very difficult for a mother to recog- 
nize the symptoms of earache, especially in an infant. 
Sometimes the baby will raise his hand to the seat of the 
pain. Look carefully into both ears and see if they pre- 
sent a different appearance. Never drop medicine of 
any sort into the ear unless it is advised by the physician. 
Relief may be obtained b}^ using hot water, as hot as can 
be borne. The proper heat can be determined by holding 
to the mother's cheek. Syringe the ear with a small ear 
syringe, then turn the child on the aff'ected ear to allow 
all the water to run out. Apply dry heat to the outside 
by means of a hot-water bag. 

TOOTHACHE. 

This is generally due to a neglected cavity which 
should be filled as soon as possible. In the meantime the 



402 OUR BABY 

pain is intense and can be alleviated for a time by hold- 
ing a hot-water bag against the face and packing a bit of 
cotton wet with oil of cloves into the cavity. 

Much pain and trouble can be averted by watching 
the teeth carefully. Have your dentist examine them 
every six months. 

BURNS. 

In case of burns the first thing to do is to apply a 
saturated solution of carbonate of soda. This will check 
the pain. Then the following solution, which is known 
as ^^Carron oil/' should be applied. It is well to have a 
quantity of this prepared and ready for emergencies. It 
is composed of limewater, linseed oil, and carbolic acid 
in the given proportions. 

Limewater. 4 ounces. 

Linseed oil 4 ounces. 

Carbolic acid 2 drams. 

Sterile gauze should be saturated in this solution and 
applied to the burned surface. It should be changed 
every six to twelve hours and kept moist. 

The following five per cent, solution of picric acid 
is another good application for burns, and is made as 
follows : 

Picric acid - - 2 drams. 

Aquae 6 ounces. 

This picric acid will stain everything with which it comes 



OUR BABY 403 

in contact a bright yellow which will not come off. It 
is well to use rubber gloves when applying it. 

NOSEBLEED. 

Nosebleed occurs the most frequently and is the least 
dangerous of any internal hemorrhage. The small blood 
vessels in the mucous membrane of the nose become dis- 
tended by the congested condition and the rupture takes 
place. It may also be due to an injury. The bleeding 
generally occurs in one nostril and as a rule is easily con- 
trolled, but sometimes it is persistent and endangers the 
life. Some form of heart or local disease of the mucous 
membrane may also be the cause of bleeding from the 
nose. 

Treatment. — First find out in which nostril the hem- 
orrhage is taking place and raise the arm on that side 
above the head; grasp the nose between the thumb and 
finger with a firm pressure, and saturate a towel with 
cold or ice water and lay it on the patient's forehead. 
If this does not control the hemorrhage a quantity of ice 
water may be injected into the nostril. Or, a solution 
composed of one tablespoonful of salt to a half tumbler 
of water may be injected in this way. In case of severe 
injury these simple remedies may not be effective and it 
may require special treatment, but the above suggestions 
will be very valuable and can be carried out while the 
physician is being called. 



404 OUR BABY 

JAUNDICE IN THE NEWBORN. 

Jaundice occurs in about one-third of all infants. It 
comes about the second or third day and continues from 
a week to ten days. It is nothing alarming, but be sure 
the intestinal tract is active. If the bowels are sluggish, 
give twenty drops of castor oil and repeat in twenty-four 
hours if necessary. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE BREASTS IN THE YOUNG 

INFANT. 

This often occurs in both tlu^ mab^ and female. The 
mammary glands are swoUen to sevei'al times their natu- 
ral size aiid are extremely sensitive to the touch. They 
nuist not be i)ressed or manipulated in any way. Use an 
ointment composed of Ichthyol twenty-five per cent, in 
Oxide of Zinc U. S. P. Spread this on some old linen that 
has been carefully boiled and then place some oiled silk 
between that and the clothing to keep it from getting 
soiled. Change the dressing every six hours. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE ANUS. 

After a child has been suffering several days with 
diarrhoea, the anus and the skin surrounding it are very 
apt to become inflamed and sore. This causes distress 
when the bowels move and will eventually bring on con- 



OUR BABY 405 

stipation, as a child will dread and try to avoid a move- 
ment. Use plenty of hot water and apply Fuller's Earth 
or an ointment made as follows : 

Ichthyol - -- --- - -- - 1 dram 

Ung. Aqua Eosa -. --. 1 ounce 

Apply the ointment freely to the parts, using old linen 
for the purpose. Change it every three or four hours. 

TEETHING. 

The lower two front teeth which are cut first make 
their appearance between the sixth and seventh month. 
It is very common for a child to begin teething as early 
as the fourth month. When teething is delayed it may 
be due to a prolonged illness during infancy. Yet in some 
cases perfectly healthy children have not cut their first 
teeth until a year old. 

In healthy children teething should not cause any 
trouble of a serious nature. It may cause a slight fever, 
restlessness, and loss of appetite, but this is only tempo- 
rary. If the digestion is disturbed to a marked degree, 
reduce the amount of food. This can be accomplished by 
giving a nursing baby a little water to drink before nurs- 
ing, thus reducing the capacity for milk. If the baby is 
bottle-fed dilute the food with boiled water by removing 
two or three ounces of the food and adding the water. 

If the gums are swollen and distended it will assist 
14a— 



406 OUR BABY 

the tooth to come through if the protruding points are 
rubbed with a clean towel placed over the index finger. 

To remember the time that the baby or milk teeth 
are to occur the following key will be of value : 

At six months six teeth 

At twelve months twelve teeth 

At sixteen months sixteen teeth 

At twenty months twenty teeth 

The Permanent Teeth. — The permanent set comprises 
thirty-two teeth, which begin to appear in about the sixth 
year when the temporary teeth begin to drop out. The 
dentition of the permanent teeth is not complete until 
about the twentieth year. The iiiilk teeth should not 
decay, but should fall out or be forced out by the second 
set. 

Care of a Child's Teeth.— As soon as the teeth appear 
they require attention. Wash out the mouth night and 
morning for the first two years with a solution of boracic 
acid. One ounce of boracic acid crystals in a pint of 
water makes a solution of the proper strength. Take a 
piece of gauze or surgical cotton, wind around the index 
finger, dip into the solution and gently apply to the gums 
and teeth. After the age of two years use a soft tooth 
brush and a simple tooth-powder as follows : 

Precipitate of Chalk - - - one ounce 

Bicarbonate of Soda one dram 

Oil of Wintergreen to flavor. 



OUR BABY 407 

Have your druggist put up this powder for you. 

Have the teeth examined by a dentist every six 
months after the child has reached the age of two years. 
If any cavities appear in the first teeth they should be 
filled with some soft filling. 

CONVXJLSIONS. 

A spasm or convulsions may be due to various causes. 
During the early days of life it is ver}' serious and at no 
age should it be lightly regarded. A single convulsion 
has been known to produce a hemorrhage in the brain 
which resulted in destroying the child's mental faculties 
and at the same time caused paralysis. 

In the majority of cases the convulsion is caused by 
some irritation in the stomach or bowels. A mother will 
not be able to ascertain the exact cause, but if her child 
should have a convulsion she should giA^e it the following 
treatment and call her physician at once. 

Treatment. — Undress the baby at once, place it in a 
hot mustard bath (temperature 105) and rub the arms 
and legs rapidly, using brisk friction. At the same time 
give an enema of warm soapy water and dilate the rectum 
with the finger, having first well anointed the finger with 
vaseline. The finger should be placed in the rectum 
without using any force, using the little finger if the child 
is verv vouns: : that is, six months or over. This method 



408 OUR BABY 

should not be employed with a newly born child. As 
soon as the child can swallow give it two tea spoonfuls of 
castor oil. After a child has had a convulsion keep it 
very quiet for several hours. Apply cold cloths to the 
head and keep a hot water bottle at the feet. Give a very 
light diet composed of chicken broth, weak beef-tea, and 
thin gruels for a day or two while the child is in bed. 

Remember, the second convulsion is more easily pro- 
duced than the first and a third more easily than the 
second. 

In most cases the above treatment Avill relieve the 
convulsive condition in a few minutes and the child will 
return to consciousness. Do not be nervous or lose your 
presence of mind, but act quickly. 

Consider convulsions very serious at all times and 
consult a physician in regard to the cause that he may 
prescribe the proper treatment and prevent another 
attack. 

BED-WETTING. 

This does not demand any attention until the second 
year. Passing urine is an involuntary act in young chil- 
dren, but if persisted in in spite of good training, some 
measures must be taken to correct it. 

Have the urine tested ; if it is found to be very acid, 
reduce the quantity of vegetable foods in the diet. If 



OUR BABY 409 

the trouble continues beyond the third year the child 
must have treatment. The trouble may be due to consti- 
pation, thread-worms in the rectum, or the diet may have 
a great deal to do with it. Lessen the quantity of liquid 
diet, especially water, during the day, giving none at all 
after five o'clock, and see that the bladder is entirely 
empty before the child retires. 

HOW TO CONTROL PELVIC INFLAMMATION. 

In simple cases when there is an acute congestion in 
the pelvis and pain in the region of the uterus and ovaries 
great relief may be obtained by the following method: 

1. Keep perfectly quiet in bed; this is very import- 
ant. 

2. Keep the bowels regular by taking Epsom Salts, 
Citrate of Magnesia, or a Seidlitz powder in the morning, 
or one or two teaspoonfuls of Compound licorice powder 
in the evening. Repeat this as needed. 

3. Take a hot douche (see Chapter XV.) night and 
morning. 

4. Purchase at the drug store one dozen 10 per cent. 
Ichthyol vaginal suppositories and place one in the vagina 
against the cervix every second evening after taking the 
hot douche. In severe cases the suppository may be used 
every evening for a short time. 

5. Place hot water bottle on the abdomen. It 



410 OUR BABY 

should contain only a small amount of water so the weight 
will not increase the pain. If the abdomen is very sore 
and tender apply hot turpentine aplications (see Chapter' 
XXII. ). 

6. For internal medicine I know of nothing better 
for general use in pelvic troubles than Woman's Specific 
No. 2. Take one teaspoonful four or five times a day. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE VULVA IN YOUNG GIRLS. 

This is an inflamamtion of the external genitals, 
causing an itching and burning sensation. It is often 
confused with gonorrhoea and having the discharge ex- 
amined is the only sure means of determining its true 
origin. It is caused by low vitality, therefore anything 
that will build up and strengthen is advisable. Take 
some good tonic, live out of doors, and eat plenty of good 
nutritious food. Keep the parts absolutely clean by the 
use of warm water and good pure castile soap. Dr. 
Kerley gives the following prescription to use as a dry- 
ing powder: 

Acidi borici 25 grains. 

Pulveris amyli % ounce. 

Pulveris zinc oxide % ounce. 

Dust the parts well with this and wear a napkin of old 
linen. Put the powder on often enough to keep the 
parts perfectly dry. 



OUR BABY 411 

THE DRESSING OP WOUNDS. 

Every household should be provided with the follow- 
ing articles for dressing wounds and injuries which occur 
so frequently among children : 

Alcohol .--- 4 ounces. 

Spirits of turpentine 4 ounces. 

One bottle antiseptic tablets (''Bernay's'') to 
be used in making bi-chloride solution. 

One-half (I/9) pound surgical cotton. 

One (1) yard of i^lain sterile gauze. 

One-half (%) dozen tAvo-inch gauze bandages. 

A small bottle of peroxide of hydrogen. 

A dusting powder: 
Resorcin, 1 dram. 
Boric acid, 20 drams. 

These can all be furnished by your druggist. Have 
them prepare the powder for you. The directions herein 
given can be applied to all injuries in general, such as 
cuts from knives, glass, dull instruments or old rusty 
nails. In some cases where the lacerations are very ex- 
tensive it may rec|uire a few stitches. In that case sum- 
mon your physician and tell him the nature of the injury 
and that you have all necessary dressing. This may 
save some time. The first thing to do in case of injury 
is to render the wound clean. This is done by dissolving 
one antiseptic tablet in a quart of water and washing the 



412 OUR BABY 

parts thoroughly, using pledgets of cotton for sponges. 
Then sponge off the parts with a little alcohol. Do not 
let any enter the cut if it can be prevented. Now put 
the edges of the skin together and apply sufficient pres- 
sure to control the bleeding. Then saturate a piece of 
gauze with turpentine, but do not have it too wet. Place 
it over the wound, cover it over with a little cotton and 
apply the bandage. Do not use any powder. Next day 
when the dressing is changed, soften it up with the per- 
oxide before removing the gauze. Wash off with the an- 
tiseptic solution and apply plain gauze. This method of 
dressing is all that is needed in simple cases. If pus 
forms keep the wound clean by using peroxide — and if 
there is much discharge use the dusting powder freely 
before applying the gauze. If the parts look red, become 
swollen, painful and inflamed, saturate a piece of gauze 
with the following mixture : 

Carbolic acid % ounce. 

Alcohol 2 ounces. 

Saturated solution boric acid 6 ounces. 

Apply locally as directed. Then apply hot applica- 
tions on top of this dressing and change them often. If 
improvement does not occur in a very short time call 
your physician. 

In ordinary cases once a day is often enough to 
change a dressing. The indications for changing a dress- 
ing are pain, soiled dressing, or fever. 



OUR BABY 413 

In case of injury with rusty nails or anything of 
that sort use turpentine freely. 

Keep the antiseptic tablets where they cannot be 
handled by children as they are poison. 

Before a mother dresses any injury she should be 
sure to cleanse her hands by first scrubbing them thor- 
oughly with soap and water and then rinse them well 
with alcohol. This is best done by having someone pour 
the alcohol over the hands. 

BEE STINGS. 

Aquae ammonia may be used wdth good results for 
bee stings or insect bites, etc. Aplpy it on a little absor- 
bent cotton or soft muslin. It may be renewed in a few 
minutes after the evaporation of the first application has 
taken place. 

BED SORES. 

A bed sore is the destruction of the skin upon any 
part of the body which is constantly in contact with the 
bed, where one is so confined for a great length of time. 
It is caused by the great pressure on the skin and usually 
occurs on the back and hips. 

To prevent these sores it is first necessary to keep the 
parts clean and keep the sheets free from wrinkles. Two 
teaspoonfuls of salt in a pint of whiskey is recommended 



414 OUR BABY 

as an excellent wash in places where the skin begins to 
look red.' If the skin is broken the most careful atten- 
tion is necessary to prevent extensive sloughs of the tis- 
sue. The sore must be protected from all pressure and 
this is best accomplished by using a rubber ring which 
is inflated with air. Either this ring or pillows must be 
placed above and below the sore so that it will not touch 
the bed. 

The best remedy for bed-sore after the skin is broken 
is Campho-Phenique. It should be applied on antiseptic 
gauze and covered with oiled silk. This application 
should be held in place by a bandage when it is possible 
to apply it. 

If the reader should have charge of a case in which 
the patient will be confined to the bed for some time, the 
above preventive measures should be used. As soon as 
a slight redness of the skin is observed the parts should be 
rubbed with alcohol. Glycerine should be applied care- 
fully once or twice a day as the case demands. 

PRICKLY HEAT. 

Nearly every infant suffers from prickly heat during 
the summer. It makes its appearance on the head, neck, 
and shoulders, and is caused by heat. Most babies are 
dressed too warmly at all seasons of the year. 

Treatment. — Avoid putting flannels next to the skin, 



OUR BABY 415 

as they are irritating in the extreme. Nothing gives such 
immediate relief as the bath of cool water. A soda bath 
will be found of great value. A tablespoonful of bi- 
carbonate of soda should be added to each half gallon of 
Avater used. Have the water of the temperature to which 
the child has been accustomed and do not let the bath last 
longer than from two to four minutes. Dry with a soft 
cloth and with as little rubbing as possible. 

One cupful of bran mixed with the water in the bath 
will also be found of value. One-half cupful of laundry 
starch used in the same manner is good. 

HEAD LICE. 

Children from even the best homes are apt to con- 
tract this trouble at any time during school days. The 
best means of eradicating it is to cut the hair short if 
the child is a boy. If a girl, you need not necessarily 
sacrifice the hair, though it will require more time to 
effect a cure. Dr. Kerley gives the following formula to 
be used as a wash: 

Acidi Acetici --. 2 drams. 

Aetheris Sulphurici 3 ounces. 

Tr. Delphinii 4 ounces. 

Spirits Vini Rectificate - 4 ounces. 

This will kill the bugs and loosen the nits so they can be 
combed off. 



416 OUR BABY 

ITCH. 

This is a contagious disease of the skin and is caused 
by a very small insect which burrows in the skin. In 
some cases it is very severe; in others it takes a milder 
form. The treatment, however, is about the same in all 
cases. Give a bath at bedtime in water at a temperature 
of 105 to 110 degrees. Use yellow laundry soap and 
scrub vigorously with a rough towel or bath brush. Then 
dry, still rubbing vigorously, and apply an ointment con- 
sisting of sulphur U. S. P. Have your druggist put it 
up for you. Repeat the process every forty-eight hours. 
Three or four treatments should do the work. If the oint- 
ment proves too irritating for the child's skin, as it may, 
reduce it one-half with vaseline. All clothing worn at 
time of the disease should be destroyed or at least boiled 
before wearing again. 

ERUPTIONS ON THE SKIN. 

There are two classes of eruptions on the skin. Those 
when there is fever and another class without fever. 
When fever exists there is acute infection present like 
scarlet fever, measles, etc. When an eruption occurs and 
no fever it is due to some skin disease, or indigestible 
food in the stomach, or the administration of drugs. 



OUR BABY 417 

HIVES. 

This disease is characterized by the appearance of 
ridges or elevations of the skin. These vary in size and 
shape and are such as might be caused by the lash of a 
whip. It causes intense itching and burning, and usually 
arises from internal sources, but may be caused by irri- 
tating clothing, biting of an insect, or some poisonous 
plant with which the patient has come in contact. 

The use of certain drugs such as quinine, arsenic, 
etc., has often caused hives. Also certain foods have been 
known to have a like effect: strawberries, buckwheat 
cakes, tomatoes, and sausages, for instance. If the cause 
cannot be attributed to the clothing or some insect it is 
safe to conclude that there is some disorder in the intes- 
tinal canal. Give a good dose of castor oil, two to four 
teaspoonfuls, or a small dose of calomel followed by a 
good physic the next morning. Reduce the diet tempo- 
rarily. Powder the skin with camphor and zinc or apply 
a solution composed of" equal parts of vinegar and water 
to the skin with some absorbent cotton. One of the sim- 
plest and most effective remedies, however, is a good soda 
bath, using a teacupful of common soda to two or three 
gallons of water. 

ECZEMA. 

This disease, like hives, may arise from causes oper- 
ating within, or from an irritating influence from with- 



418 OUR BABY 

out. The appearance of the skin changes very suddenly. 
It may be clear one day and the rash may appear the 
next day. 

Children under a year old are most liable to this dis- 
ease. In nursing babies it may be found only in one 
round spot on each cheek, though, in rare instances, it 
may cover a large portion of the body. 

The principal causes are an inherited tendency, a 
run-down constitution, over-feeding or some digestive dis- 
turbance, the use of some soap that irritates, or possibly 
contact with soiled diapers, etc. Usually the skin is a 
bright red covered with little watery pimples. These 
soon rupture and leave the skin swollen and red. The 
greatest discomfort is suffered from the almost unbear- 
able itching. Put the hands in mittens to prevent scratch- 
ing. Give a laxative and lessen the diet. Do not use 
soap at all and no more water on the diseased parts than 
is absolutely necessary. When there is irritation in folds 
of the flesh, place a layer of cotton in the crease to pre- 
vent friction. 

Dust the parts with equal quantities of subnitrate of 
bismuth and oxide of zinc made into a fine powder. Re- 
move the crusts by means of sweet oil. 

RUPTURE. 

This is often caused by whooping cough or colic and 
occurs most frequently in boys. It may also be occasioned 



OUR BABY 419 

by constipation. Operating on infants under five years 
of age is not advisable. A truss carefully fitted is the 
best means of control. Never leave the truss off any 
longer than is absolutely necessary to cleanse it. One 
descent of the hernia means the undoing of several weeks 
of vigilant care. The truss must be worn night and day. 
If it does not fit comfortably, it should be reajusted until 
it causes no irritation. A piece of cotton placed between 
the child and the hard rubber bulb will add to the com- 
fort of the child. It should be worn for a year after the 
last descent of the hernia. Have it changed as the child 
grows. 

Umbilical or navel hernia occurs in infants and is 
usually caused by whooping cough. In size it varies 
from one-fourth to one inch in diameter. It nearly al- 
ways makes its appearance during the first few months 
of a baby^s life. 

The treatment is simple. Bring the skin from each 
side together, thus forming a sort of splint on each side 
and place over it a strip of adhesive plaster from one to 
two inches wide. This should be changed every four or 
^.ye days. If the skin becomes irritated and red. change 
the folds at right angles with the old ones. This gives 
relief for a time. It does not take longer than six months 
at the most to effect a cure. 



420 OUR BABY 

HOW TO BREAK UP A COLD. 

The following will be found very effective for break- 
ing up a cold. This should not be given to a child : 

Asperin I/2 drams. 

Codeine sulphate 3 grains 

Powders No. 6 — One powder at seven and nine 
each evening. 

Take a hot lemonade containing a little whiskey at 
bedtime. Each morning take a dose of Epsom salts or 
a bottle of Citrate of Magnesia. A good hot foot bath 
in the evening will also assist in bringing about the de- 
sired effect. 

This is for a case wliere there are aches and pains, 
some headache, and a general miserable feeling. 

HEADACHE IN CHILDREN. 

This is unusual and indicates that there is disturbance 
somewhere that is causing it. Possibly the eyes need at- 
tention, or it may be the first symptoms of some disease 
which is being ushered in by a headache. Over-study at 
school, undue exercise, or excitement may bring on a 
headache. 

Treatment. — First determine the cause if possible. If 
from the eyes, have them fitted with glasses at once; if 
from intestinal derangement, move the bowels freely. Ex- 
amine the urine and watch the diet. 



OUR BABY 421 

HOW TO TAKE CASTOR OIL. 

According to Carleton the best way to give castor 
oil is as follows : 

Vanillini 1% gr. 

Olei Menth. pip 5 m. 

Saccliarini 8 gr. 

Alcoholis - 2 dr. 

Tinct. persionis 20 m. 

Olei ricini, q.s.ad. 6 oz. 

Dissolve the vanillini, oil of peppermint, and saccliarini, 
in the alcohol. Add the persionis to the oil and shake 
thoroughly, then unite the two mixtures. The dose is 
the same as plain castor oil. 

In the treatment of children nothing seems to take 
the place of castor oil as an easy and effective method 
of emptying the alimentary canal. However, most chil- 
dren are opposed to the unpleasant taste of castor oil. 
The above mixture is pleasant to take. 

There is also a preparation of castor oil on the mar- 
ket which is known as Laxol. This is very agreeable to 
the taste and is simply castor oil in disguise. 

A GOOD PRESCRIPTION FOR CHRONIC CON- 
STIPATION WHEN ASSOCIATED WITH 
STOMACH TROUBLE. 

This may be taken when there is no other symptom 
besides constipation. It will also give great relief when 



422 OUR BABY 

there is indigestion and loss of appetite, a condition that 
is very common in women. 

Tincture Nux Vomica 3 drams. 

Pepso Laxatone - 4 ounces. 

Directions. — Take one or two teaspoonfuls half an 
hour before meals and at bed time. 

Copy this prescription and the directions and take 
to your druggist to be filled. 

Kead the chapter on chronic constipation. 

GOOD COUGH REMEDY. 

When there is a dry irritating cough located in the 
throat and no other symptoms are present, the following 
is of value : 

Equal parts — 

Honey. 

Glycerine. 

Lemon juice. 

Whiskey. 

Take one teaspoonful of the mixture every hour. 

A GOOD GARGLE. 

A good gargle which can be used freely for sore 
throat is as follows : 
Equal parts of 
Listerine 
Peroxide 
Water. 



OUR BABY 423 

WHOOPING COUGH. 

The following is highly recommended by Dr. Fischer 
and can be given in a case of whooping cough that is 
being treated without the aid of a physician : 

Bromoform (Merck) 1 dram 

Tinct. Cardamom Comp 1 dram 

Give five drops in water three times a day to a child 
one year old. Add one drop for every two years, thus : 
Six drops for a baby three years old. 
Seven drops for a baby five years old. 

DIARRHOEA AND VOMITING IN CHILDREN. 

Ofttimes during the summer months children are 
taken with an acute attack of vomiting and diarrhoea. 
After the bowels have been thoroughly cleaned out with 
castor oil it can be controlled by 

Hyg. Chloridi Mit. Aromatic 1-10 grain tablets No. 4 

Intestinal Antiseptic -.- gr. 10 

Peptenzine .-. ,.-- - -- gr. 15 

Bismuth Subnitrate gr. 15 

M. ft. chart. No. 15. 

Give one powder every two hours, which is the regu- 
lar dose for a child one year old. Increase or decrease 
dose according to age. 



424 OUR BABY 

INFANT S ANODYNE. 

If baby is restless from any cause, has colic or any 
of the infectious diseases which cause a nervous condi- 
tion, or if teething is causing much pain, give Infant's 
Anodyne, — one pill dissolved in a teaspoonful of water 
every half hour until quiet. Infant's Anodyne contains 

Nickel bromide gr. 1/134 

Codeine sulphate gr. 1/67 

Powdered ipecac gr. 1/134 

Lithium carbonate gr. 1/25 

Oil of anise m. 1/134 

Saccharin, q. s. 
Dose: — One pill every lialf lioui* foi* infants; more for 
older children. They can Ix* ol)tained from any druggist. 



DIARRHOEA MIXTURE FOR ADULTS. 

Tr. Opii camphortae ounces 1 

Tr. Kramariae -. ounces 1 

Misturae cretae .....ounces 2 

Dose : — Two teaspoonfuls four times a day, or, if neces- 
sary, it may be given every three hours. 

An ounce of castor oil should first be taken to clean 
out the bowels. Stop all food until the condition is re- 
lieved. Keep perfectly quiet in bed and if there is any 
pain apply hot applications to the abdomen. 



OUR BABY 425 

FOR DIPHTHERITIC SORE THROAT. 

I\Ientholis .....drams 2 

Toluoli .....drams 9 

Liquoris ferri. chloridi .....ounces 1 

Alcoholis ounces 2 

Apply to the nuicous membrane on a cotton swab at fre- 
quent intervals. 

A GOOD TONIC. 

When it is necessary to give a general tonic the 

following Avill be found of value : 

Elixir Iron, Quinine, and Strychnia.. ounces 3 

Elixir Lacto Peptine ounces 1 

Dose : — One teaspoonful before meals and at bedtime. 

RHEUMATISM. 

Every one has a different remedy for rheumatism, 
but the only line of treatment is that of elimination ; 
that is. keep the skin, kidneys, and bowels in good condi- 
tion that they may throw off the poison. The following 
treatment is good for this purpose : 

Calcalith tablets — One every four hours with hot 

water. 
Salithia — One teaspoonful in half a glass of water 
several times a dav for an adult. 



426 OUR BABY 

HOME MEDICINE CHEST. 

Every mother should provide herself with the follow- 
ing dressings and drugs to be kept in her medicine chest 
for cases of emergency : 

Dressings — 

Surgical cotton 

Plain gauze 

Bandages 

Bi-chloride tablets 

Lysol (for antiseptic wash one teaspoonful to quart) 

Alcohol 

Oil of cloves 

Whiskey 

Quinine 2 grs. capsules. 

Headache tablets. The following is a good formula 
and is made by several drug firms. It can be obtained 
from any drug store, but should not be given to children. 

Acetanilid grs. 31/2 

Sodium Bromide ....- grs. 1-10 

Sodium Bicarb grs. 9-10 

Caffeine grs. i/4 

Codeine Sulphate ..-- grs. ^/4 

Dose : One or two tablets every one to three hours as 
needed for headache. 

Antiseptic soap (Carbenzol is a good make) 



OUR BABY 427 

A good salve (nothing is better than Carbenzol oint- 
ment) 
Mustard plasters 
Castor oil or Laxol 
Epsom salts. 
Spirits of Camphor. 
Turpentine. 




LI5T OF ILLUSTRATIONS 



Fig. Page 

1. External Genitals 2 

2. Hymen, — common form 4 

3. Hymen,— ring form - 4 

4. Hymen, — ring indented - - 5 

5. Hymen, — imperforated - 5 

6. Normal injury of hymen during sexual intercourse 6 

7. Scheme showing vagina and other pelvic organs 7 

8. Cross section vagina-.. 8 

9. Vulvo-vaginal gland 9 

10. Vulvo-vaginal abscess 10 

11. The uterus 11 

12. Normal position of uterus 12 

13. Ligaments of uterus and bone attachments 13 

14. Pelvic organs and their relation to each other 14 

15. Vaginal wall and attachment to cervix 15 

16. Normal cervix 16 

17. Cervix torn at childbirth 17 

18. Appearance of cervix after operation.. 17 

19. Back view of left tube and ovary 18 

20. Showing outer opening of tube 19 

21. Showing right Fallopian tube laid open 20 

22. Right ovary and tube— girl 16 21 

23. Tube and ovary— girl 24 22 

24. Inner and outer part of ovary 23 

25. Ovary with collapsed Graafian follicle fifteen days after 
menstruation 23 

26. Cross section outer part of ovary 24 

27. Follicles with ova in center with germinal vesicle and 
spot 25 

28. Graafian follicle developing and ready to rupture... 25 

29. Inside of uterus during menstruation. 31 

30. Congested condition of tube and ovary during men- 
struation 33 

30A. Ovary first day menstruation 34 

31. Human spermatozoa 40 

32. Approach and fusion of the spermatozoon and ovum 42 

33. Union of germinal vesicle and spermatozoon 43 

15— 



430 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

Fig. Page 

34. Location of tubal pregnancy 45 

35. Abortion of the product of conception into abdominal 
cavity through tube 47 

36. Manner in which rupture of tubal pregnancy may take 
place 48 

37-38-39. Showing first three stages of development of the 
foetus 50 

40. Human ovum of eight days 51 

41. Side of placenta next to the child 53 

42. Side of placenta next to uterus 54 

43. Formation of the cord 55 

44. Cross section of umbilical cord 56 

45. Human ovum and child of four weeks 57 

46. Human ovum and child of second month 58 

47. Human foetus of three months, — natural size 59 

48. Human foetus of eight weeks. — natural size 60 

49. Foetus and uterus at six weeks 61 

50. Showing an early abortion 72 

51. Pregnant uterus and ovum at five weeks 73 

52. Results of criminal abortion showing perforation with 
elm tents producing blood poison 77 

53. Perforation by tupelo tent causing peritonitis 78 

54. Double uterus 86 

55. Two-horned uterus 87 

56. Cross section of same 87 

57. Sectional view of one-horned uterus 88 

58. Undeveloped infantile uterus 88 

59. Accessory Fallopian tubes 89 

60. Abnormal condition of Fallopian tubes 89 

61. Results of neglected tear of opening of vagina during 
childbirth 97 

62. Appearance after surgical operation repairing same 98 

63. Showing recent tear of vagina 99 

64. Showing stitches tied in same 100 

65. Backward displacement of uterus 101 

66. Correct attitude knee-chest position 102 

67. Forward displacement of uterus 103 

68. Pus formation in Fallopian tube and ovary at time of 
operation 105 

69. Syphilitic sore on lip.... 107 

70. Syphilitic sore on cervix 108 

71. Syphilitic rash on body — three weeks after appearance 

of chancre 109 

72. Gonococci germs of gonorrhoea 116 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 431 

Fig. Pagre 

73. Discharge from uterus infected with gonorrhoea.--.. 118 

74. Venereal warts of the vulva.. 122 

75. Leucorrhoeal discharge from the cervix 124 

76. Bath thermometer — ..127 

77. Reservoir, glass douche tip, and douche pan 127 

78. Fountain syringe with glass vaginal douche tip attached.. 128 

79. Kelly pad .....128 

80. Substitute for Kelly pad 130 

81. Correct and incorrect positions when taking vaginal 
douche : 131 

82. Best position for taking vaginal douche 132 

83. Using Kelly pad while taking vaginal douche 133 

84. Squatting position while taking vaginal douche 135 

85. Fountain syringe w^ith rectal tip attached ....153 

86. Best form of rectal tip. 153 

87. Correct position to hold rectal tip 158 

88. Second position in taking an enema 159 

89. Third position with large bowel filled with water 160 

90. Syringe and tube used to give nutritive enema 161 

Indoor Exercise Illustrations — 

Fig. Page 

91. Showing incorrect position 180 

92. Showing correct position.. 180 

93. Proper costume for indoor exercises 181 

94. Deep breathing, — before the exercise. .....184 

95. Deep breathing, — lungs filled with air.... 184 

96. Contracting the abdominal muscles 186 

97. Backward movement 186 

98-99. Forward movements 187 

100. Sideways and forward 188 

101-102. Sideways and body twisting movement.... 189 

103. Squatting — first position 190 

104. Squatting — second position 190 

105. Raising the body — first position 191 

106. Raising the bodj^ — second position 191 

107. Raising both legs..... 192 

108. Raising the legs alternately... ....193 

109. Dip movement — first position 194 

110. Dip movement — second position... ....195 

111. Raising the body backward — first position .....195 

112. Raising the body backward — second position..- 195 

113. Hot-water bottle ...196 

114. Electrotherm .....197 



432 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

Pig. Page 

115. Hot applications for pelvic trouble i 199 

116. Articles required for turpentine stupes or hot applica- 
tions 202 

117. Ice-bag 207 

118. Showing correct and incorrect method of applying the 
ice-bag 208 

119. Half-bath 216 

120. Adjustable spray 217 

121. Spray apparatus and rubber sheet 220 

122. Home needle spray 221 

123. Home modification of spray bath 223 

124. Adjustable spray 224 

125. Sitz-bath tub 225 

126. Turkish bath at home 226 

127. Turkish bath gas heater 227 

128. Sheet bath 228 

129. Normal nipples 323 

130. Breast pump used to develop the nipple 324 

131. Abnormal nipples 325 

132. The Acme nipple shield 326 

133. Bandage for distended breasts 327 

134. Best form of breast pump 328 

135. Breast massage — first motion 331 

136. Breast massage — second motion 332 

137. Breast massage — third motion 333 

138. Breast massage — fourth motion 333 

139. Pattern of pressure bandage 334 

140. Pressure bandage applied 335 



INDEX 



Introduction XVII 

A. 

Abortion 70 

Anodyne for infants — quieting medicine 424 

B. 

Burns 402 

Bed-wetting , 408 

Bee-stings 413 

Bed-sores 413 

Baths 212 

Bath — spray ...224 

Bath— sitz 225 

Bath— home, Turkish 226 

Bath— sheet 230 

Blackheads — how to remove.... 291 

Breasts, Diseases of 329 

Distention 329 

How to apply bandage 330 

Engorged breasts 330 

How to massage the breasts 331 

Excess of milk 335 

Lack of milk 335 

How to dry up the breasts 336 

Baby, Our 341 

General management 341 

A mother's knowledge 342 

New-born infant ! 343 

Care of umbilical cord 345 

Baby's weight 346 

Appetite 347 

Vomiting 347 

Crying 348 

Baby's first home 349 

Sleep 350 

Breathing 350 

Kissing 351 

Weak Infants 351 



434 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

Bathing -.- - 352 

The sick room 363 

The nurse 353 

Food - 354 

Breast feeding 354 

When to begin and what to feed an infant 357 

The wet nurse 358 

Artificial feeding 358 

Formula No. 1 359 

Formula No. 2 360 

Formula No. 3 362 

Formula Nos. 4 and 5 364 

Formulas Nos. 6, 7, 8 and 9 365 

Home modification of cow's milk 360 

Selecting the milk 360 

Testing the milk 361 

Care of the milk 361 

Articles required 361 

Care of the bottle and nipple 368 

Nutrition and growth 368 

Errors in feeding 369 

Care during the summer months 369 

Weaning the baby 371 

C. 

Chicken Pox 380 

Symptoms 380 

Treatment 380 

Colds — treatment of, in children 395 

How to break up in adult 420 

Croup 384 

Symptoms 384 

Treatment 485 

Colic 399 

Symptoms 400 

Treatment 400 

Cough remedy 422 

Convulsions 407 

Treatment 407 

Castor Oil — how to take 421 

Conception 40 

Child, How it developes in the uterus 50 

Cord 56 

Civilization 93 

Constipation 143 



INDEX 435 

In children - - 394 

Childbirth 99 

Cold Applications — - - 206 

Cold compress - — — 209 

Choosing a companion 273 

Care of the face .290 

Confinement 316 

Necessary articles 317 

How to reckon correct date of confinement 338 

Care of mother after confinement.. '. .....318 

The binder 319 

Afterpains .— 319 

Rest 319 

Diet ....- -.- 320 

Bowels 320 

Temperature 321 

Kidneys . .: .321 

Time to rise from confinement bed 321 

Cool pack 376 

D. 

Dress 96 

Douche, Vaginal 126 

Diet 163 

Diphtheria 381 

Symptoms .-. .382 

Treatment 383 

Prescription for diphtheric sore throat ...425 

Diarrhoea in children 423 

Diarrhoea mixture for adults.... 424 

E. 

Education 90 

Exercise 95 

Enema ...152 

Exercise, Indoor ........180 

Ears — care of . .....295 

Eyes — care of 295 

Earache 401 

Eczema 417 

Eruptions on the skin 416 

F. 

Female Pelvic Organs, Anatomy and Physiology of... 1 

Fallopian Tubes 17 

Food 95 



436 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

Fruits 168 

Freckles — how to remove 292 

Fever thermometer 392 

G. 

Gonorrhoea 115 

Golden Rules 299 

Gargle, A good 422 

H, 

Hymen 4-5 

Hot applications 196 

Hot applications by use of electrotherm 197 

Hot applications — effects of 198 

Hot applications — technique of 198 

Hot applications — blanket pack 201 

Husband and wife 277 

How to be beautiful 289 

Hair — to remove superfluous 293 

Hair — care of 296 

Hands — care of '.297 

Hot flushes 339 

Head lice 415 

Hives 417 

Headache in children 420 

Home medicine chest 426 

I. 

Indoor Exercises 178 

Ice-bag 207 

Instructions for the pregnant woman 311 

Exercise 311 

Diet 312 

Habits 312 

Clothing 315 

Urine 313 

Inflammation 404 

Of the breasts in infants 404 

Of the anus 404 

Of the vulva in young girls..... 410 

Of the pelvis — how to control 409 

Itch 416 

J. 

Jaundice in the newborn 404 



INDEX 437 

L. 

Leucorrhoea ...123 

Liquid diet 169 

Lover and Sweetheart 286 

Lips — care of 293 

M. 

Mons Veneris --. 1 

Menstruation 30 

Menstruation, painful ...- 339 

Miscarriage 70 

Menopause 80 

Masturbation .....140 

Meats 166 

Marriage : 247 

Mouth— care of 293 

Measles 377 

Symptoms 377 

Treatment 378 

Measles, German 379 

Mumps 380 

Symptoms 381 

Treatment 381 

Medicine, for stomach and bowels 421 

^Medicine for babies, "Infants Anodyne" 424 

N. 

Nose — care of 295 

Nipples — care of .323 

Before confinement 323 

After confinement 325 

Excoriations ...325 

Fissures and cracks on top of nipple 328 

Fissures and cracks at base of nipple. 328 

Nosebleed 403 

Treatment :..403 

O. 

Ovaries 19 

Ovaries, how removal affects a woman 138 

P. 

Puberty 27 

Puberty, management of 29 

Pregnancy, signs and symptoms of 307 

Tubal 45 



438 WOMAN'S SECRETS 

Patent medicine 245 

Pimples — to remove 291 

Prickly heat 414 

R. 

Rheumatism 425 

Rupture 418 

S. 

Sterility 66 

Social conditions 91 

Syphilis 106 

Syphilis and marriage 113 

Soups 168 

Soft diet 174 

Sexual life of both sexes 251 

Sexual life — physiology and effects 255 

Morality 265 

Signs and symptoms of pregnancy 307 

Menstruation stops 307 

Changes in breasts 308 

Nausea and vomiting 308 

Quickening 309 

Changes in vulva and vagina 309 

Bladder irritation 309 

Cravings 309 

Signs of labor and preparation of patient 315 

Scarlet fever 372 

Symptoms 372 

Treatment 373 

Use of the cold pack 376 

T. 

The would-be doctor 235 

Tan — how to remove 291 

Treatment of diseases of women in general , 338 

Typhoid fever 386 

Symptoms 386 

Treatment 387 

Feeding of typhoid patients 389 

Tongue tie 397 

Thrush :. 397 

Treatment 398 

Toothache 401 

Teething 405 



INDEX 439 

Permanent teeth 406 

Care of a child's teeth 406 

Tonic, a good 425 

U. 
Uterus 9.... 

V. 

Vulva - 2 

Inflammation of in young girls 410 

Vagina 6-7 

Vegetables , 164 

Vomiting in children 423 

' W. 

Woman — her ailments 85 

Warts, venereal 121 

Whites 123 

When a pregnant woman should consult a physician 315 

Water — drinking 231 

When to consult a physician 239 

Wife— the ideal 270 

Wrinkles — how to remove — 293 

Whooping cough — 391 

" Symptoms 391 

Treatment 392 

Prescription for 423 

Worms 398 

Wounds — dressing of ...411 

Y. 

Yellow spots— how to remove 292 



LRRATA 

Fig. 75 — Should read: Showing a leuchorrhoeal dis- 
charge from the cervix (modified from Massey's Gynecol- 
ogy, copyright F. A. Davis Company). 

Fig. 73 — Should read : Showing the discharge from a 
uterus which is infected with gonorrhoea (modified form 
Massey's Gynecology, copyright F. A. Davis Company). 

'' Golden Rules," pages 299, 300, 301 and 302, were 
culled from various sources. 



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